


When an Unstoppable Force Meets an Immovable Object

by ChaoticFairy (Amanda908565)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - No Prophecy (Final Fantasy XV), Assassin Ignis Scientia, Assassin Prompto Argentum, Assassination Attempt(s), Assassins & Hitmen, Bonus chapter: ot4 ending, Boys Being Boys, Developing Relationship, Developing ot4, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Flirting, Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, Good Friend Prompto Argentum, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Humor, Ignis Scientia is So Done, It's p much weird flirting tactics and mostly humor, It's way too lighthearted for the original premise but I like it that way, M/M, Murder Husbands, Oblivious Prompto Argentum, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Gladiolus Amicitia, POV Prompto Argentum, Petty Prompto Argentum, Pining, Poisoning, Pre-Canon, Prompto Argentum is a Little Shit, Slow Burn, Surprise! - Freeform, This really isn't as dark as it might seem, Weird Fluff, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:21:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23725237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amanda908565/pseuds/ChaoticFairy
Summary: He hates to admit it, but he was more than a little impressed. He hates how Ignis seemed genuine for almost the entirety of dinner. Hated how the man seemed to play into Prompto’s weakness. He hated how he felt butterflies that were not due to nausea when Ignis brushed his bangs back.The asshole had the audacity to tell him goodbye and that it was apityto have it end like this.Oh, but Ignis didn’t know. Ignis didn’t know that he had the resilience of a cockroach after a nuclear blast. Ignis didn't know that Prompto knew how to get under people’s skin and drive them mad.Simply put, Ignis didn’t know what Prompto was capable of.But he was certainly going to find out.Lovingly gifted the alternative titles of "Ignis Has Feelings and His One Coping Skill is Murder" and "Petty Prompto"
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Noctis Lucis Caelum, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 83
Kudos: 179





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all!  
> Thanks to both [IWP_chan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWP_chan) and [ Seito](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seito) for feeding this plunny with a BUNCH of ideas I ended up using, and thank you again to [IWP_chan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWP_chan) for the title idea!! Def go check them both out if you haven't already!
> 
> Some things to note!  
> \- Prompto and Noctis meet later than they do in canon (they're sixteen at this point)  
> \- This is Promnis focused, but there's def hints of developing polyship between the bros  
> \- There's no graphic depictions of violence! While this might be an assassin au, it's far from a dark fic. It's mainly humor, and weird courting rituals, and plenty of exasperation.  
> \- There will be murder attempts, but no gore, and no one dies!  
> \- This is basically Character A tries to assassinate Character B (who's also an assassin) but Character B _just won't die_  
>  \- This fic is entirely too lighthearted for the original premise lmao
> 
> Hope you all like it!

Since his birth, Ignis Scientia had been groomed to fulfill certain...duties. 

There were the ones that almost everyone knows about: he was the Prince’s advisor. He kept Noctis on schedule, woke him up in the mornings, drove the young Prince to where he was needed, cooked for the teen, and forced him to eat his vegetables. There were other duties for him to take care of, as well: paperwork, politics, and even tutoring the young prince fell under his list of tasks. 

Then, there were the lesser known duties, but just as important, if not more. These were more so the duties of House Scientia rather than those of the Royal Advisor. Those born of the House Scientia typically had another type of job. 

They were the Royal Assassins. 

Since he was an only child, Ignis was brought into the lifestyle young. He trained and learned and killed. He was taught interrogation techniques, torture, and delighted over his toxicology lessons. He was taught how to make clean cuts, give a target the smallest nick, move silently, and his gymnastic lessons certainly came in handy. He was taught how to lie through his teeth without issue and how to read body language. He was assigned the best tutors. Theboy did his job with pride, and found satisfaction in it.

Ignis was, in short, the best assassin the crown had to offer. 

He would do anything to keep his Prince safe.

* * *

Prompto Argentum didn’t share a similar experience.

He had been adopted by a couple who had decided they wanted a child, but they didn’t want to go through the nine months of pregnancy and then labor. So, they adopted. 

Things had been okay for a while, he liked to think. He can’t really remember that far back. He’d like to say that they celebrated his birthday every year, or that he had run to wake them up early to celebrate the Winter Solstice and open gifts. He’d like to think about how they would send him off with a healthy packed lunch every day to classes.

(His parents typically forgot his birthday. If they were home, it was just another normal day and he went on with life. If they were away for work, as they often were, then he wouldn’t hear from them, either. Celebrating the Solstice with his family was as cold as the snow outside; they usually were working from their home offices. They weren’t around enough to make him lunches, so he was stuck eating ramen, or even fast food. At least his parents sent him an allowance and paid the bills. Until he turned twelve and they  _ didn’t _ .)

When Prompto was twelve, he had tried to tell his parents that he had run out of money for food. He thought he had been budgeting well, and he  _ had _ been, but it had also been a while since they had last sent him his allowance. He didn’t need to worry about the bills for the house, as it was taken directly out of his parents’ accounts, but... he didn’t have food to  _ eat. _

So, he started taking odd jobs after school. His stomach would rumble and he’d feel hunger pains, but it wasn’t terrible. He would courier letters from one side of the city to the other, he’d walk dogs, he’d weed gardens and clean homes. It worked for a few months. Almost a year, really, but...

The measly pay wasn’t enough. 

So, he went to the sketchier parts of town. He didn’t  _ like _ it, but it wasn’t as if he was terrified. The fleeting thought of ‘if I’m killed, would anyone even realize I’m gone?’ crossed his mind, which caused him to hesitate. For only a moment, though. It didn’t matter, anyway. He was hungry. 

There had to be an issue with him if he was okay with dying. At least it would be quicker than starving to death.

In theory, he supposed he  _ could _ have told his teacher, but his teachers didn’t care for him much. He looked like a Niff, and they didn’t say anything to stop the bullies. He decided to bite the bullet and fix the problem himself. 

Quite a few people looked at him. Hoods were drawn up around faces, and most were hidden in the shadows provided by alleys. He knew what they saw: an easy target. 

He was the chubby thirteen year old with bright yellow hair and crystal blue eyes. Prompto stuck out like a sore thumb, and he had no idea how to change that short of dying his hair black and using a self-tanner. If he really thought about it, he realized that he must look like a chocobo wandering into a voretooth den. Prompto took a deep breath, steeling himself at the mouth of the alleyway. Then, he stepped forward, and forced himself to walk farther down the dirty space. It stunk of garbage and cigarettes. 

“You seem pretty young, kid. You better get out of here before you get hurt,” a voice called out to him. He turned to find an older man leaning against the wall. Prompto looked him over curiously, noting the dark grey hair with shaved sides. 

Prompto swallowed, “I’m looking for work,” he managed to get out after a few minutes. He noticed that more people were looking at him. “I...I need a job. Regular places won’t hire me since I’m too young...” 

There were eyes on him, and suddenly, Prompto felt like a fish out of water. He didn’t know what he would do if the people around him actually hurt him. This was a mistake; a bad idea. A terrible idea. The man was still staring at him. His throat closed up. 

“Man, taking a fucking chill pill. Your glare is actually giving him, like, an asthma attack or something.” Another voice grumbled. 

The man gave a long sigh. He pursed his lips, looking Prompto up and down for a few moments before shaking his head. “Alright,” he stated, mainly to himself. “Alright. You’re looking for work, right, kid? Well, I’m looking for an apprentice of sorts. You in?” 

Prompto frowned. He was hesitating. What was he supposed to say? Would he even get another offer? He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. “...what would I be doing?” He asked. His tone was mild and inquisitive. 

He was looked at in approval and Prompto felt something inside him preen. The man squinted at him, closing one eye and then smirking, “good. You ask questions. Don’t agree to anything without all of the information.” He pushed himself off the wall. “Got a name, kid?” 

“P-Prompto.”

The man gave a smile, and Prompto found himself trusting it. Maybe he shouldn’t, but this was what he came looking for, right? “Hey, Prompto. I’m looking for someone to train in a...certain skill set.” 

“What, you don’t just want me to like, sell pot or something?” Prompto asked, frowning again. “I’m not useful for much. I can stand on a corner and sell, though.”

There were eyes on him again. “No, Prompto,” the man told him. “I’m looking to train someone as an assassin. Guess you could call 'em a hitman or mercenary, too.” Prompto’s eyes went wide. An assassin? He would have to kill people? The blonde quickly took a step back. “Well?” The man asked him. “What’ll you say?”

He looked at the ground, not sure how he should respond. Does he agree and become a killer? Does he leave and die himself?

Prompto raised his head. “I’ll do it.” 

The other man from before look startled, “hey, man, maybe this isn’t your brightest -”

“Can it, Lib,” then, he turned to Prompto, regarding him with a bright smile. The man clapped him on the shoulder. “Great!” The hand didn’t leave his shoulder, “c’mon. Let’s get something to eat.”

“U-uh, I don’t have -”

“What kind of teacher would I be if I left my new student to starve, Prompto?” He smiled, gently guiding him into the main street and into a small bar.

* * *

Prompto might not have had much of a real choice back then, but if he got the chance to change things, he knows that he wouldn’t.

* * *

A few years later, Prompto was starting his third year of high school. He finally had his growth spurt, and a lot of the baby fat he had was easily shed the moment he had to start his training. His teacher was firm, but kind. He led Prompto down a road he found he was rather...skilled at. 

Prompto may have blood staining his hands beginning at the young age of fourteen, but he had gained a lot from it. Now, at sixteen, he had a lot more than he had back then: self-confidence, athleticism, even a  _ friend _ . 

His phone was ringing. He groaned, but shoved his hand in his pocket. He brought it up to his ear, “yeah?”

“That any way to talk to a dear old friend, Prom?” 

Prompto huffed, “I’m literally about to walk into the school, Nyx. What’s up?”

Despite the fact that Prompto couldn’t see Nyx, he knew the other was smiling. “Just wishing you some good luck, kid. Just remember that you’re awesome, and if anyone gives you a hard time, you know how to make it look like an accident.” 

“ _ Nyx! _ ” He hissed, “you can’t just say that sort of stuff!” 

“Eh, I think I’m good. I’m a Glaive now, remember? My background checks cleared and everything,” the man responded smugly. Prompto didn’t have the heart to tell his friend that they probably found out everything to know about Nyx. Including his...extracurricular activities. 

Maybe the Kingsglaive didn’t care if someone was an assassin. Maybe it was, like, an extra gold star on his application, Prompto thought.

“Seriously, though, Prom. You’re gonna be fine.” He paused, “and make sure you follow through with what we talked about, alright?”

Prompto’s stomach dropped.

“Yeah,” he muttered. “I’ll talk to you later, alright? I gotta head in.” With that, they said their goodbyes. Prompto sighed and stared at his phone.

He really didn’t want to do the thing they talked about. 

Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum was the most important person that went to his high school, and someone Prompto had seen in passing all throughout elementary and middle school, and part of high school. He talked with Nyx about him before, rattling off about whatever he had seen the Prince do that day. Nyx, Astral’s bless him, had taken it with a smile and didn’t even mention how creepy it was. 

Was it still a problem if Prompto knew what he was doing? Maybe. He wasn’t sure. Whatever.

Part of him wished that Nyx had told him that he needed to kill the only heir to the throne of Lucis. It would have been much quicker; easier to do. He definitely wouldn’t have been as stressed.

No, instead, Nyx had bent down to his level and looked him in the eye. He told Prompto that he was deserving of happiness, and deserving of (another) kick ass best friend. 

So, when Prompto walked into the school, a bright smile carefully crafted on his face as he threw an arm around Noctis’ shoulders and introduced himself, he couldn’t help but think about how much he already screwed up.

After all, who called the Crown Prince of Lucis  _ pal? _

* * *

Turns out that Prompto was worried over nothing. Noctis looked at him a little strangely at first, tensed under his touch for a few moments, but soon relaxed. They walked like that to homeroom together. Prompto was surprised to find out that they shared a lot of classes. He hadn’t been expecting that, honestly. 

Noctis was a Prince, so for some reason Prompto had assumed that Noctis would be in advanced classes or higher level courses. Instead, Noctis was napping next to him in chemistry. 

That was something that surprised him. Noctis’ ability to fall asleep literally anywhere. Prompto poked him with the eraser end of his pencil once or twice, and Noctis had sleepily batted his hand away, peering out to glare at him. Prompto just snorted in response, but left him alone. It wasn’t like they were actually learning anything on the first day of classes. 

When lunch came around, Prompto left the classroom to head for the vacant corner near the gym he had spotted earlier that day, and was shocked to discover that he had a shadow trailing behind him. Why would Noctis be  _ following _ him? That wasn’t how reality worked, he’s pretty sure. 

He turned around, frowning. “Shouldn’t you, I don’t know, be eating with people you actually know?” 

Noctis looked at him with furrowed brows. “Didn’t you want to be friends?” He said, “we can’t really talk in classes.” Noctis walked past him, brushing their shoulders together. “Come on, man,” he grunted, frowning as he skulked towards a bench. 

Prompto stared at him for a good minute before looking up at the ceiling. He hadn’t expected the Crown Prince of Lucis to...stick to his side like he was glued there. If anything, he had been expecting it to happen the opposite way. He had expected Noctis to give him a polite, albeit uncomfortable, smile and then carefully distance himself from the very obviously not Lucian-born, excitable disaster that was Prompto Argentum. 

He moved to sit next to the other, their shoulders leaning against each other, and their knees knocking. To Prompto, it felt more like they’ve been friends for years rather than hours. 

Noctis shoved a container of baby carrots into his hands without saying anything, and Prompto blinked. “Uh...”

Noctis squinted, then said, “You look like the kind of person who likes vegetables.” Prompto didn’t know if he should be offended or not. “I don’t eat them. They’re icky. Do me a favor and eat ‘em for me? It’ll get Iggy off my back.”

Prompto stared at the carrots, then looked up at Noctis. “Uh. Sure, yeah. Alright, man, no problem. I’m the veggie guy!” He joked, opening up the container. 

As he took a bite into the first baby carrot, he couldn’t help but wonder if the Prince was lonely. Maybe he was. 

Well.

He was determined to stick around for as long as Noctis would have him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! I'll be updating on a weekly schedule, as the fic is already written!
> 
> If you liked it, please leave a kudos and/or comment on your way out! Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss a chapter!
> 
> Alternative fic titles:  
> "What is this feeling, so sudden and new..."  
> Salt  
> Prompto Argentum is a Little Shit  
> Petty Prompto  
> Ignis Has Feelings and His One Coping Skill is Murder


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _There was a man leaning against the car. Tall, lean, and proper. Prompto swallowed thickly, and if Noctis heard the click his throat made, then he kept it to himself. There was a...sharpness about the man. A sharpness that Prompto recognized almost immediately, and it took all of his willpower not to gawk or ask questions._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left kudos, a comment, bookmarked and/or subscribed to this fic last week! I'm glad that you guys are looking forward to the rest of the fic!! 
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy!

Noctis seemed to worm his way into Prompto’s heart without either of them realizing it. Soon enough, Noctis had carved out a space right next to Nyx. 

The older man would tease Prompto about it, and even asked if they were dating at one point. Prompto choked on the chicken skewer Nyx had brought over for dinner. He very loudly denied that such a thing was happening. That it _wouldn’t_ be happening. 

He had to tell Nyx to stop tailing them two days after that conversation. It was _annoying_. Noctis would keep looking over his shoulder, and Prompto had to smile, laugh off his concerns, and tease him. He would glare at a nearby shadow as soon as the Prince looked away. He couldn’t tell if Nyx was being a protective older brother or acting like an overbearing father.

* * *

“I’m just saying,” Nyx told Prompto one day, “I’ve got a shovel.” 

“What?”

“A shovel,” Nyx repeated.

Prompto looked at him, expecting him to continue. When Nyx didn’t, Prompto frowned. “Isn’t the saying ‘I have a shovel and a shotgun’?”

Nyx laughed at his student, “yeah, it is. Though, I’m certainly not the one with the shotgun.” 

Prompto pouted. “I wouldn’t hurt him.”

“Oh?” 

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “He’s important to me.”

Nyx looked at him for a while after that, a soft smile on his face. When Prompto focused on something, when he decided to put his mind to something, he gave it his all. It seems that Prince Noctis was going to have another protector in the shadows.

He only hoped that when Prompto met the Prince’s advisor, that everyone survived the ordeal.

* * *

Prompto and Noctis hung out more and more. They met up outside of school, usually at a public place. Prompto understood; he didn’t mind. It helped them both feel normal, after all. They had street food and went to arcades, and overall acted like the idiots they were. There was one memorable visit to the animal shelter that left Noctis covered in cat hair. 

There was even one time that Nyx had shown up, a cocky smirk plastered across his face as he leaned against the Crown issued car. Prompto hadn’t known how to react at first. Nyx quickly fixed that by reaching out to him and immediately putting him into a headlock. 

The messed up hair was _so_ worth hearing Noctis’ yelp and demand _let him go, that’s my best friend, Ulric!_

Nyx had teased him for days afterwards. 

Noctis was surprised that Prompto knew the man, but Prompto had explained that he met Nyx after getting lost in the Immigrant Quarter one time a few years ago. 

(“What were you doing alone in the Immigrant Quarter?”

Prompto shrugged, a crooked smile on his face, “eh, got hungry.”)

He had even met the hulking mass of Noctis’ Shield that went by the name Gladiolus. He had snickered to Noctis that it probably wasn’t encouraging that the man was named after a _flower_ , but Noctis had smirked and shrugged. 

When Gladio finally showed up, Prompto’s mouth went dry. The guy was bigger than Nyx and that was saying something. All tanned skin and broad shoulders - and the guy seemed to have an aversion to shirts. Noctis leaned over, mouth close to his ear, “let me tell you, Prom. All proportional.”

Gladio’s smirk as he swaggered towards them told Prompto that he knew _exactly_ what Noctis just whispered to him. He was still a bit dizzy over the revealtion that Noctis was _into_ _guys_ and doing _stuff_ with his Shield, but Prompto didn’t think that it was his place to comment. He gave a half-hearted introduction, and Gladio had patted him on the back. The Shield gave him a warning about what would happen if Prompto were to ever hurt Noctis. 

He waved the other off. He wasn’t going to hurt the Prince, and anyone that planned on doing so was going to find a bullet between their eyes. 

(Three already have.)

* * *

“Iggy said he wanted to meet you, so, uh, don’t leave at the bell, alright?” Noctis told him, his usual bored expression on his face, but Prompto could easily read the nervousness in the teen’s eyes. 

Prompto swallowed. “Yeah, sure, man. Sounds good.” He didn’t understand why Noctis’ advisor wanted to meet him. He was just some pleb from high school. He and Noct had been hanging out at the arcade after school sometimes, but usually it was a Glaive or Gladio that would pick the other up afterwards. 

So, when the bell rang to signal the end of the school day, Prompto couldn’t help but freeze. Noctis stretched out beside him, not a care in the world. “Don’t worry,” the Prince tried to reassure him. “Specs really isn’t as scary as the press likes to make him out to be. The guy stress bakes, Prom. Like, seriously. Who does that?”

“Ignis, I guess?” 

Noctis rolled his eyes. “You two are gonna get along just fine,” he grumbled. Prompto still wasn’t sure who Noctis was trying to convince. 

Soon enough, Noctis had put away all his things, and Prompto was all packed up. Noctis gave him an encouraging grin, although it came out a little more as a grimace. Then, he was leading the way to the entrance, Prompto a few steps behind him. Noctis led them to the parking lot, walking towards a familiar car. He was _trying_ to hype himself up before meeting with yet another person Noctis was close to. 

There was a man leaning against the car. Tall, lean, and proper. Prompto swallowed thickly, and if Noctis heard the click his throat made, then he kept it to himself. There was a...sharpness about the man. A sharpness that Prompto recognized almost immediately, and it took all of his willpower not to gawk or ask questions. 

Ignis regarded him with cool indifference. No words were exchanged. The blonde noticed that Noctis was scowling at the man, wordlessly telling his advisor to relax and be nice. Huh. Prompto didn’t know that Noctis could look like that. When the man acknowledged Noctis, he sighed. “Your Highness,” he began, voice warm despite his icy disposition. 

“Hey, Specs,” Noctis responded, “this is Prompto. The guy I told you about.” There was a pause as Ignis peered down his nose at him, and then, “Six, could you cut it out with the intimidation tactics? Prom isn’t a threat, you saw the background check!” 

That startled Prompto. They had done a background check on him? _Who_ had done a background check? The _Crown?_ That was a terrifying thought. What if they had found something? Prompto could lie through his teeth, covered his tracks well, and knew how to get out of tricky situations, but that meant nothing if they managed to find out his involvement in something. While he wouldn’t mention how he actually _enjoys_ his job, since it could easily have him thrown in jail to rot or even executed, he couldn’t deny that he was good at it. He couldn’t deny that he had earned a certain reputation in his field. Although Nyx had been waved through the Kingsglaive application process and was steadily earning his way to his own moniker, Prompto couldn’t help but worry. He tried not to show his panic, but when he shifted his weight to his other foot, Ignis’ sharp eyes snapped towards him.

Prompto had never actually met another person like him before. Nyx didn’t count, obviously. Ignis...he was _positive_ that Ignis was trained in a similar way he was. If he could tell that of Ignis, then Ignis could certainly tell that of him. 

“Hey, uh, Noct, I - I think I forgot something in my locker. I’m just gonna...go grab it.” Prompto explained, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. His eyes didn’t leave Ignis, the hairs on his arms standing up. “It was nice to meet you, man,” he mumbled to the other, “I’ll see you later, Noct.”

“What? No! We were supposed to go to the arcade!” Noctis’ cheeks puffed out in indignation. “Stay here - no running off! I’ll go get whatever it is that you need.” Prompto looked at him, eyes pleading, but with that stubborn set of Noctis' jaw, he knew his best friend wouldn’t let him skip out on their arcade day. “What did you need to get?” 

“Uh,” Prompto fumbled, noticing how both Noctis’ and Ignis’ brows raised. Noctis huffed, waiting for him to answer. “My...um. The binder. Black one. It’s in my locker. I need it.”

“What subject is it for?” Ignis’ smooth voice cut in. “Perhaps I may have some notes written for it from when I had tutored His Highness.”

The blonde felt his mouth dry up in panic. Ignis’ eyebrow was arched as sharply as his gaze was narrowed. “It’s not for a class. It’s...it’s my photography binder. I put a lot of my developed film into it.” He can’t believe his hobby of photography was his saving grace right now. “I wanted to bring it home and put in some new folders.”

Noctis hummed, “oh, I know the one! Be back in a sec.” Then the Prince turned around and stalked into the school. Like a traitor. Prompto watched his back for a few moments before there was a loud cough, and his head snapped back to Ignis, eyes widening a bit. He did, however, strand a bit straighter. They were in public, with Noctis not too far away, and it wasn’t like Ignis could just...kill him out of nowhere.

Right?

Nyx’s voice circled his mind. _Fake it ‘til you make it, Prompto._

“What is it you do for work, Prompto?” Ignis inquired, resting his gloved hands on top of his stomach.

The blonde hummed, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Oh! Besides being a student, you mean? I’m a freelance photographer. I take pictures for Meteor Publishing. Vyv pays a pretty penny, and he seems to like my work.” It wasn’t...completely a lie. Yes, Vyv published his photos, and paid him well for it, but...Vyv was also his middleman in his...not so legal dealings. He eyed Ignis, attempting to keep a cheery smile on his face despite the fact that he was alone with another person in his profession. Maybe he should have been a little more worried, but...Ignis couldn’t kill him out of nowhere. Noctis would ask questions, and he didn’t really think that Noctis knew about Ignis.

“Vyv is an old associate of mine. I’ve had to manage the Prince’s affairs for quite some time,” Ignis told him, eyes gleaming with something Prompto couldn’t place. “Freelance, you say?” 

Prompto tried not to let the tone get to him. “Yep!” He said, popping the _p_. “Got some things I won’t shoot, but he knows that. Won’t even pester me about it, even if he thinks I’d be best for the job,” Prompto laughed, noting how Ignis stiffened slightly. 

“I see.” Long fingers pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. “Perhaps you might show me your work one of these days.”

There was an underlying threat to those words. It told Prompto that Ignis very much knew what he did in his spare time. It told him that if Prompto was formally deemed a threat for any sort of reason, then he would be six feet under faster than he could say _chocobo_. A smile curved onto Prompto’s lips. 

“That’ll cost you extra,” he told the man, shooting finger guns towards him and adding a wink for good measure. Ignis was not amused, if the clenching of his jaw was anything to go by. It was unfair how it made Ignis look more attractive. It was a dangerous sort of attractive - like a shiny new handgun just begging to be unloaded.

In that one sentence from Ignis, it told Prompto that the advisor had nothing that would warrant a hit on his head. His grin brightened, noticing Noctis jogging back towards them, binder in hand and a look of confusion on his face. Prompto laughed, throwing his arm around the other’s shoulders. “Thanks, man,” he grabbed the binder filled with his developed film. “Arcade, right?”

Noctis nodded, still confused, but agreed. “Right.”

* * *

“Specs wanted me to tell you that you’re invited for dinner.”

Prompto looked at his friend. “What?”

Noctis looked at him. “Food? You know, eating?” He rolled his eyes, “you’ve never come over to the apartment before, and it’s about time you do! We can play video games all night. I got the new Assassins Creed!” He bumped his shoulder against Prompto’s own. “C’mon. Come for dinner? Gladio will be there, too.”

“Oh, so I get to watch you be gross with your boyfriend?” Noctis’ cheeks went pink at Prompto’s comment. “I don’t know, dude. I mean, you’re all...like, important. I don’t wanna be the odd man out, y’know?” He rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Prom,” Noctis began, almost pleadingly, “ _Prompto_. Don’t make me beg. I’m not supposed to do that sort of stuff - and Iggy would lecture me for hours if I started begging.” 

Prompto quirked an eyebrow. “Oh?” He grinned teasingly. “How about I hear a please, then? Hm? _Pretty please, Prompto, would you come over for dinner? With a cherry on top?_ ” Noctis glared at him, and Prompto only laughed loudly. Then, he stretched his arms upwards. “Alright,” he finally said. “Fine, I’ll come. What time should I be there? We getting takeout?”

Noctis scoffed. “As if. Specs would probably murder the delivery person,” Noctis muttered. “Iggy’s really big on home cooked meals. He also likes trying to hide vegetables in my food.” 

That made Prompto blink a few times. “Oh! Ignis is the one who makes your lunches?” He didn’t know that. It made sense, though. Ignis was always caring for Noctis in some way, from what he’s heard. Noctis nodded as his answer. “Alright,” he murmured once more, “dinner at your place, Ignis is cooking, we’re playing games, and Gladio is sitting there looking pretty, huh?”

Noctis gave a boyish grin. "Exactly."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the stage is set! Prompto and Ignis have met, and...it's not _exactly_ love at first sight. Prompto's met Gladio, too, but he's not exactly top priority. He's like a big puppy in Prompto's mind lmao. 
> 
> Prompto having to remind himself _Fake it, 'til you make it_ is me on the daily. Confident!Prompto is a great kind of Prompto, even if it's completely fake confidence xD 
> 
> If you liked the chapter, be sure to leave a kudos on the way out, subscribe so you don't miss the next update, and if you've got some time, drop me a comment! Thank you, all!
> 
> ~~Ignis? Stress baking? More likely than you think!~~


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _He hummed, taking another bite from the treat. It garnered a smile from Ignis, which made those flashing red lights in Prompto’s mind start back up. The smile was pretty, though, even if it was a tad sharp around the edges. He chewed slowly, noticing that the dessert was a tad too sweet. “Less sugar next time,” he murmured, “it’s sweet. Like,_ really _sweet.” Prompto frowned, “I don’t mind it, but! For next time, right?”_
> 
> _Ignis’ answering grin was just as saccharine as the jello treat. “Yes,” he mused, taking a bite of his own piece, “for next time.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: I'm gonna follow an update schedule. One update a week on Saturdays!  
> Also me: I'm gonna update today. As a treat. ~~aka I'm so very impatient and want to share it all already lmao~~
> 
> I had a super long day, y'all and wanted to share! Also, happy birthday to ~~the resident trash man~~ Ardyn! While he doesn't make an appearance in this fic, he's one of my favorites!
> 
> Hope y'all like the update!

When Prompto showed up to the apartment building later that night, he couldn’t shake the feeling of something bad about to happen. He had talked to Nyx about Ignis, and the guy had simply shrugged with a grim expression. 

(“Do your best to blend in,” Nyx told him.

Prompto scoffed, “dude, you’ve met me, right? Not exactly subtle.”

Nyx shrugged again, “then play into your strengths. You’re a good kid, Prom -”

“I kill people.”

The Glaive was unfazed, “so just be yourself. I’m sure your bubbly personality is sure to get to him eventually. It worked with Lib. Besides, don’t you wanna stay with the Prince?”)

Now, though? There wasn’t much Prompto could do besides smile and pretend like nothing was wrong. So, he texted Noctis that he was there, waited to be buzzed into the building, and then made his way up to the apartment via the stairs. For some reason, a part of him was telling him not to use the elevator. 

He took the stairs two at a time. He was a runner: his stamina was rather high, so it should be fine, right? It wasn’t that much of a challenge for the first few flights. Once he hit the fourth flight, he felt himself become a little winded. Up another two flights and now he was on the sixth floor. He quickly fixed his hair, took a deep breath to get his breathing back under control, then knocked on the apartment door. 

Noctis opened the door, a bewildered expression on his face. “Dude, what took you so long?” He asked, stepping to the side to let Prompto move inside. 

“Ah, I took the stairs.” He said, stepping out of his shoes. 

“Noct?” A prim voice called out, “who’s at the door? I thought Gladiolus was coming a bit later.”

“It’s Prompto!” The blonde called out. Ignis peeked out of the kitchen, looking towards the entranceway. Prompto waved, a bright smile on his face that only grew when he saw Ignis’ eyebrow twitch. 

“Oh, Prompto,” Ignis cleared his throat. “Welcome. Please take your shoes off.”

“Already done!” Prompto shot back, picking up a leg and pointing it towards Ignis and wiggling his sock covered toes. The man didn’t look pleased, and Prompto gave him a cheeky smile. 

Ignis flicked his eyes towards Noctis, who was grumbling behind Prompto. “Do try to keep the mess to a minimum, Highness. I just cleaned yesterday.” Noctis nudged Prompto to get him to walk farther into the apartment. Ignis disappeared back into the kitchen, but he wasn’t finished talking. “Oh, Noct, please call Gladio and let him know to use the stairs.”

“What? Why?”

There was a humming coming from the other room, and Prompto was suddenly very, _very_ glad that he took the stairs. “It’s been malfunctioning lately. The landlord told me earlier this morning when I first showed up. Didn’t I tell you?”

Noctis scowled, “no? I used the elevator earlier, it was fine!” 

“Hm, strange. Please refrain from using it until it’s been fixed.”

* * *

Prompto sat down next to Noctis on the couch, grabbing a video game controller. He had been thinking about what Ignis said about the elevator for a bit. Was he hoping that the elevator got stuck with Prompto inside of it? Keep him away from Noctis? He pulled out his phone, wanting to send a text to Nyx, but found that he...didn’t have any service. He swallowed. Well, then. Maybe he was just in a dead zone? That would make sense, right?

(Noctis was the Prince and required cell service. It didn’t make sense. He tried not to think about that.)

Gladio showed up about an hour later, and he gave Prompto a big grin, ruffling his hair. “Hey, blondie. How’ve you been? Haven’t seen you in a while.” 

Said blonde gave a loud squawk of disapproval. “The hair, man! Don’t mess up my hair!” He quickly reached up to swat the Shield’s hands away. 

Gladio chuckled, but then turned away from him. “Smells good, Specs! What’s for dinner?”

There was a small clattering from the kitchen, “grilled barramundi with roast potatoes, and for dessert, I’ve decided to experiment with a new recipe and make strawberry jello dessert bars.” 

Noctis perked up. “Really? That’s what’s for dinner? No vegetables?” He asked excitedly. 

There was an _a-ha!_ from the kitchen, “I knew I was forgetting something!” 

“Iggy, no!” 

The man’s genuine laughter floated through the apartment, and Prompto felt his guard lower the slightest bit. Ignis cared a lot about Noctis, that much was obvious.

* * *

Dinner was _delicious_. Prompto can’t remember he had a home-cooked meal that was as tasty as Ignis’ cooking. Nyx tried whenever he could - really, _really_ tried. He even cooked Prompto some traditional Galahdian meals, but something always tasted a little burnt. That’s not to say that Prompto didn’t appreciate it, though. Not to mention, he very much appreciated Nyx’s company. 

What could he say? He gets lonely.

“Oh, man, Ignis, that was amazing!” He gushed, leaning back in his chair. Even if Ignis didn’t like him, and he set off alarm bells in Prompto’s head, he had to admit that Ignis was an incredible cook. 

Ignis regarded him with curious eyes, but Prompto didn’t think too much about it. “Come now, it’s nothing special,” he hummed, pleased, “but thank you, Prompto. It’s not often I receive such praise. His Highness and Gladio seem to believe that grunting and belching shows adequate appreciation.” 

Prompto snorted, but managed to cover his mouth with his hand. “Sounds like 'em.” He glanced towards his best friend, who was now sulking from Ignis’ comment. 

The bespectacled man stood up. “I do believe it’s time for dessert.” He hummed. “If you would excuse me for a moment, I will be right back.”

“Need any help?” Prompto questioned. He was trying to be nice, after all. Ignis was a part of Noctis’ life and it was clear the man wasn’t going to be leaving the Prince’s side any time soon. 

Ignis gave him another undecipherable look. “No, thank you, Prompto. It’s quite alright.” With that, Ignis quickly collected the dishes, and moved back towards the kitchen. 

Gladio was looking at Prompto with interest. It made Prompto feel self-conscious. “What?” He snapped. “Why’re you looking at me like that?”

The larger man chuckled, rubbing his chin and tugging a bit at his goatee. “Nothing, nothing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Specs so...confused? Intrigued? I’m not sure what the word is, honestly. Oh!” He snapped his thick fingers, a loud sound echoing. “Off-kilter works.” He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. “It’s kinda funny.”

Prompto was just about to answer, but Ignis came sweeping back into the room. He served all of them: Noctis first, then Gladio, Prompto, and finally, himself.

The first thing Prompto noticed was that the dessert was visually gorgeous. Despite the fact that it was jello that you could buy from the supermarket, Ignis had managed to make it look like something that came out of a five star restaurant. He gave a low whistle. “Wow.” 

The jello was a bright red - which made sense since it was strawberry flavored. There was an overly artificial smell of strawberries, but even then, the sweetness was welcoming. 

Ignis looked pleased. “Pretzel crust, with a middle layer of lemon cream jello, strawberry jello on the top, and garnished with fresh strawberries. I hope everyone enjoys it.” 

Noctis dug in with fervor, letting out a loud groan. “Damn, Specs,” he started, “this is so good.” Ignis seemed to preen under the compliment. Gladio let out his own grunt of agreement, shoving another piece into his mouth. 

Prompto took a bite of his, not blind to how Ignis was looking at him, expecting him to try his treat. He didn’t hesitate. Seeing how delicious dinner was, he had no doubt that the sweet would be just as good. His mouth exploded with flavor, and he immediately looked to Ignis, who seemed rather...smug. Prompto didn’t understand why. Was Ignis trying to show off how good of a friend to Noctis he was? Through food? The man raised his own piece of the dessert in a mock toast towards Prompto. “Since it was a new recipe, would you perhaps mind telling me your thoughts? Anything would help me narrow down which aspects need to be tweaked in the future.” 

He hummed, taking another bite from the treat. It garnered a smile from Ignis, which made those flashing red lights in Prompto’s mind start back up. The smile was pretty, though, even if it was a tad sharp around the edges. He chewed slowly, noticing that the dessert was a tad too sweet. “Less sugar next time,” he murmured, “it’s sweet. Like, _really_ sweet.” Prompto frowned, “I don’t mind it, but! For next time, right?”

Ignis’ answering grin was just as saccharine as the jello treat. “Yes,” he mused, taking a bite of his own piece, “for next time.”

* * *

If Gladio or Noctis thought Ignis was acting strange, then neither commented on it. Well, besides Gladio mentioning how Prompto threw Ignis off-kilter earlier during their meal. The man went back to cleaning the dishes used, along with any kitchen items. Prompto had plopped back on the couch, and Noctis had draped himself across Gladio’s lap, laying on his stomach and facing Prompto. They had been doing their own thing for a little bit, and Prompto had zoned out, but then Noctis broke the comfortable silence.

“I’m glad you came over,” Noctis mumbled, averting his gaze. Prompto looked over at him, turning his head. He suddenly felt overcome with a bout of dizziness. He put it off to not drinking enough water, or even moving too fast. Maybe the headache he had was progressing into a migraine. 

“Huh?” Prompto asked, unable to focus. Noctis was saying something, but what? He squinted a moment, and then Noctis’ words sunk in. “Oh! Yeah, me too,” he said, not realizing that his words slurred at the end. “You’re my be-st fri- _end_ ,” he continued. The blonde raised his arm in an attempt to pat Noctis on the shoulder, but missed his mark and swatted at the couch cushion next to the other teen. He furrowed his brows and tried again. Same thing. He could have sworn Noctis was where he was aiming.

Noctis looked at him, concern evident in his features. “Uh, you good, Prom?” 

“Pea-ch _y_ ,” Prompto slurred. He was tired. Why was he so tired? His head hurt, too, and the room felt like it was spinning. Maybe he should close his eyes. He did. It didn’t help. 

He must have fallen asleep because he woke up to Noctis patting him on the cheek, repeating his name over and over again. “Prom? Prompto, come on, man, wake up. This isn’t funny.”

“Noooct,” he drawled, trying to smile and put his friend at ease. 

“Shit, Gladio, you didn’t slip him any booze or something, right?”

“What?” Gladio snapped, “you’ve been attached to his hip the whole time! When could I have given him a drink?” 

Ignis walked out of the kitchen then. Prompto turned his head to look at the other, “Iggy,” he mumbled, “you made yummy food.”

“Oh dear,” Ignis fretted immediately, walking over to where Prompto was sitting. “Poor thing, he looks green.” 

Noctis frowned, “what do you think it is? Is he sick?”

The older man tutted, “perhaps. It’s possible that something he ate today did not agree with him. You said you two called for takeout during lunch, right?” Noctis nodded, then Ignis continued, “it’s likely that he might’ve eaten something bad. You know how takeout is.” The Prince gave a huff in response. “I should take him home. He would probably like to rest.”

Prompto was listening as much as he could, but words weren’t making sense. God, he felt sick. When Gladio pulled him up to stand, Prompto swayed on his feet. Ignis immediately slid into place next to him, and every part of him that Ignis touched felt warm. Huh. He wondered why. 

“Gladio, would you help me take him down to the car? We need to use the stairs.”

Gladio had picked him up in a bridal carry. If Prompto was more aware of himself, he would have been embarrassed, but he didn’t even notice it. He closed his eyes, patting Gladio with the back of his hand, and mumbled a thank you. 

His eyes snapped open at the bottom of the stairs, as soon as he was being loaded into Ignis’ car. “Nyx!” He all but shouted, causing Gladio to wince at the volume. “Call...call Nyx.” The guy would come over and keep an eye on him. He hated to bother the man, but Nyx always told him to call him if he needed him. Right now, Prompto wasn’t even sure he would be able to stumble to the toilet without falling over. He grunted as Gladio buckled him in, noticing how the man seemed to be glaring at Ignis, but it could just be because the world was spinning. 

Gladio seemed surprised to hear that Prompto wanted him to call Nyx. “Ulric?” He clarified, not bothering to ask how a civilian like Prompto knew the up and coming Glaive. Prompto nodded, humming his assent. The larger man frowned. “Sure, kid. I’ll give ‘em a call.”

“Thanks, Glaaaddy,” he slurred in response, resting his head against the corner of the seat. “Haa..tired.”

* * *

He must have fallen asleep again since now Ignis was shaking him awake. He tried to smile up at the man, but Ignis’ face was cold. He wanted to tap the guy on the nose and tell him to relax. He’s just a little sick. Nothing to worry about. He’s probably just got a stomach flu or something. The blonde reached out, trying to pull himself out of the car, but was unable to do so.

Ignis pulled him out, though. It was sort of a surprise to realize Ignis was strong enough to pick him up and practically drag him into his empty house. He laughed drowsily, more of a chitter than anything. He didn’t even question how Ignis was able to lead him to the bedroom without Prompto giving him directions.

The older man dropped him onto his bed, and Prompto gave a small groan. “Thanks, Ig...Igster,” he hummed. “Think I’m sick...ugh...”

Ignis stood over him, looking down with a calculating gaze. “It would appear so,” he murmured, brushing back Prompto’s sweaty bangs. “Goodbye, Prompto. Pity it had to end like this.”

Prompto gave him a dopey smile. “Mn...night, Iggy.”

* * *

“Prompto? Prompto? Shit, Prom, wake up, damnit!” Someone was yelling. It wasn’t him. Who was with him? 

He cracked open one eye, then the other. He blinked a few times. “Nyx?” He questioned. 

“Fuck, yeah, kid, it’s me. What the hell happened to you?” 

“Stomach...fluuu?” He answered, trying to push himself up, but his limbs weren’t listening to him. The headache was still there. At least the room wasn’t spinning as much as before. 

Nyx pursed his lips. “What’d you eat?”

Prompto squinted. “Ummmm. Fries?” He paused, trying to think. “Iggy made din- _ner_.” 

“Scientia?”

“Mhmmm.”

“Shit. What did he make, Prom?”

The blonde didn’t know why Nyx was asking him all these questions. Ignis was pretty nice all evening. He made dinner, and then when he fell sick, the guy drove him home. He frowned. “Fish? Po-potat- _oo_ _oes._ Jelloooo.” Nyx’s face hardened, and Prompto finally managed to move his arm, letting it swing and rest on Nyx’s shoulder. “Shh,” he whined, “head _hurts_.” 

“I’m gonna kill him.” Nyx finally announced.

Prompto tried to tip his head to the side, but he was lying down. “Huh?” 

“Prompto. I think Ignis poisoned you.”

Oh. 

Well, that explained a lot.

“Oops.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oopsie daisies :3
> 
> If you liked it, please be sure to drop a kudos, bookmark, or leave a comment if you have the time! Ty to all that already have, and to the people who have subscribed to the fic! It means a lot to me!! 
> 
> See y'all for an(other) update on Saturday!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Any nerves he had over meeting Ignis and about who the man was were gone, and all he wanted to do was_ kill him with kindness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> You may have noticed I switched the chapter amount to 8! Don't worry! You're still getting the same amount of story!! I just felt weird cutting this chapter off where I had originally, so I split what was originally chapter 5 and added some to this chapter and the next! Which...resulted in slightly longer chapters 4&5 oops lmao
> 
> hope you all enjoy!!!

As it turns out, ethylene glycol, commonly found in antifreeze _,_ had a sugary sweet taste to it. 

Prompto had told Ignis that the jello dessert bar was too sweet, and the fucker _smiled_ at him. 

He can’t believe how _naive_ he had been! There had been warning bells! The second he had walked into the apartment building, he had been on edge! He should have listened to his instincts instead of brushing them off because Ignis was being _nice_. Trusting people he knew he shouldn’t trust was how he could be killed! He’s pretty damn lucky that Gladio had actually called Nyx. 

If he hadn’t, Prompto didn’t want to think about what could have happened. 

Then, after poisoning him, Ignis had the absolute _gall_ to act as if he were concerned! He huffed, angrily readjusting his bag on his shoulder. 

When Nyx had told him he had been poisoned, Prompto couldn’t even find it in himself to panic. He just laid there and accepted it. What could be done? He was poisoned, and they didn’t even know with what. Well, Prompto hadn’t known with what, but Nyx seemed to realize it quickly enough. 

He promised Prompto a lesson in toxicology that coming weekend. Prompto readily agreed. 

He grumbled to himself. While he was absolutely livid at Ignis, he was more upset with himself. He prided himself at being good at what he did. He was a sure shot, and he could easily get in close and fight if the situation called for it. He didn’t mind either way - fighting, as terrible as it may sound, made him feel alive. The thrill of the hunt made his adrenaline pump in a way that simply jogging or hitting the gym with Nyx never did. 

He had been out of school for a day already. Nyx had stuck around to make sure that Prompto actually survived, despite giving him an antidote from wherever the Glaives were able to access. When Prompto asked if he would get in trouble for it later, Nyx had only smiled and held a finger to his lips. Prompto rolled his eyes, but ceased his questioning. 

When Nyx had deemed Prompto well enough to be left alone for a few hours, he had told Prompto he needed to run an errand before leaving. Then, two and half hours later, he came back with a few scratches on his face, some split knuckles, and wearing a cocky grin. He held something out to Prompto.

It was a Phoenix Down.

Prompto didn’t even know how the hell Nyx had managed to swindle one of these potions, and he was about to reject the gift, but Nyx had that hard look in his eye that told Prompto that he wouldn’t accept _no_ for an answer. He sighed, then gently took the feather and put it somewhere safe. 

(“When you leave the house, that goes with you everywhere, got it?”

“Geez, Nyx, what are you, my mother?”

Nyx grinned, “watch your tone with me, mister.”)

So, not only did Prompto have a heavy bag full of books slung over his shoulder, but the Phoenix Down in his right pocket of his denim vest felt like it was burning a hole through the fabric. 

Noctis was waiting by the school gate, scanning the incoming crowds with a ferocity and nervousness that Prompto hadn’t known the teen possessed. As soon as Noctis noticed him (it wasn’t hard to see his blonde hair in the wave of darker colors), the Prince shot over towards him. If it wouldn’t have gotten him in trouble, Prompto’s almost sure that the guy would have warped.

“Hey, buddy, how -”

“Don’t you _hey, buddy_ me, Argentum!” Noctis snapped. Prompto’s mouth quickly closed, the words dying in his throat. “You pass out on my couch, then you disappear for a day, and you never think to text me?” 

Prompto winced. Shit, he messed up. “I’m sorry, man,” he apologized honestly, “I think I caught a stomach flu and I didn’t even think about going on my phone.” It was true. He hadn’t even gone on to play King's Knight. Nyx had told him to stay in bed and forced him to watch a documentary on chocobos. 

Not that Prompto was complaining about watching chocobos.

Noctis deflated when Prompto looked down, scuffing the sole of his boots against the pavement. “I’m sorry if I worried you. I’ll, uh, I’ll try to call you if it happens again.” He promised. Prompto was expecting Noctis to sigh and make a joke about it being a royal order. He had expected the guy to start walking and leading them to class.

He had not expected Noctis to reach out and pull him into an almost desperate hug. “Don’t...don’t worry me like that again. Got it?”

Prompto’s arms immediately raised and hugged back, blinking over Noctis’ shoulder owlishly. “Yeah, bud, got it.”

“Good, come on, we’re gonna be late for pre-calc.”

How was Prompto supposed to avoid Ignis if Noctis had every interest in keeping Prompto around?

More so, how was Prompto supposed to keep Noctis from knowing that his advisor had tried to kill him, and why?

* * *

He hates to admit it, but he was more than a little impressed. He hates how Ignis seemed genuine for almost the entirety of dinner. Hated how the man seemed to play into Prompto’s weakness. He hated how he felt butterflies that were _not_ due to nausea when Ignis brushed his bangs back.

The asshole had the audacity to tell him goodbye and that it was a _pity_ to have it end like this.

Oh, but Ignis didn’t know. Ignis didn’t know that he had the resilience of a cockroach after a nuclear blast. Ignis didn't know that Prompto knew how to get under people’s skin and drive them mad.

Simply put, Ignis didn’t know what Prompto was capable of.

But he was certainly going to find out.

* * *

It was a few days until Prompto saw Ignis again, who had seemed...surprised to see him. It seems as if Ignis had thought he succeeded. Really, it was Ignis’ own fault for not making sure the job was done. What an arrogant and cocky prick, Prompto thought. 

“Hey, Ignis,” Prompto chirped, waving at the man. His face was bright, despite the simmering anger in his eyes. “Haven’t seen you in a while! Thanks for taking me home the other day! Man, I was sick as a dog!” He laughed casually, “how much would it have sucked if I had died and you were the last person to see me? Talk about a scandal, huh?” He flashed a grin at the advisor, and slid into the backseat with Noctis as if he belonged there. Ignis was glowering at his back, and Prompto _loved_ it.

Any nerves he had over meeting Ignis and about who the man was were gone, and all he wanted to do was _kill him with kindness_. 

Prompto knew that he couldn’t attempt to fight Ignis. For a variety of reasons. One, Noctis needed the man - as his advisor, chamberlain, and friend. Prompto wasn’t in the business of making his best friend unhappy. Two, Ignis would win. There was very little doubt in Prompto’s mind that he would end up dead if he were to ever go on the offensive. Three, if he died, then that would make Noctis sad, and would probably end with Nyx trying to avenge him and also dying. 

So, instead, Prompto was just going to be how he usually was and hope that his normal behavior and devil may care attitude rubbed Ignis the wrong way and frustrated the man to no end. 

Revenge didn’t need to be cut and dry, after all. Prompto planned on milking it for all it was worth.

If Noctis was surprised by Prompto’s newfound comfort level, he didn’t say anything, and simply climbed into the car after him. He threw his bag into the front passenger seat, and then proceeded to flop against Prompto, who laughed at the teen and poked him in the side. 

“Ugh, get off, man,” he giggled. “You’re not some delicate princess.” If anything, Noctis only seemed to get heavier. “ _Dude_ ,” Prompto whined. 

“No rough housing in the car, Highness.” Ignis’ smooth voice cut through the loud giggles and whines.

Noctis huffed. “No rough housing in the car, Highness,” he mocked, mimicking Ignis’ posh accent. Prompto glanced at the rearview mirror, delighted to see how displeased the man was at the imitation, even if Noctis moved off him and put his seatbelt on. 

“...should I assume that we are not heading to your apartment straight away?” 

“Nope,” Noctis grinned, leaning against the door. “Arcade. The one downtown nearest to the Immigrant Quarter.”

“Highness, is that a particularly wise -”

Noctis cut him off. “We’ve been there already, Specs, don’t worry.”

Prompto felt as if this was an ideal moment to speak up. “Mhm, don’t worry too much, Ignis! The guys there know me! Oh, we should go to Half Moon for food, too! It’s close enough to walk!” 

His best friend eagerly nodded, “oh, Six, yes. That place has the best food.” Prompto watched Ignis’ grip tighten on the steering wheel, and he had to bite back a satisfied smile. 

“I’ll send out a text and see if anyone’s around, if you want?”

That was enough for Ignis to snap, “it’s not safe to bring strangers around, Prompto. As Noctis’ friend, you should understand that.”

Prompto blew a raspberry at the man, “oh, don’t worry! After all, who better to protect Noct than some Kingsglaive, right?”

There was silence. 

Then, Noctis huffed, “you can tell Ulric he’s allowed to play games with us as long as he brings us take out from Half Moon.”

The blonde grinned, smile bright and full of teeth as he locked eyes with Ignis in the rear view mirror. “Sounds good, Noct. I’ll let him know.”

* * *

After a quick message, Prompto found out that Nyx was on duty currently, and couldn’t sneak away to hang out in an arcade with two teens plus Ignis. Prompto had to wonder how old Ignis was. He couldn’t be that much older, seeing as he was still rather youthful looking, but he supposed sometimes that didn’t matter. 

Noctis seemed a little disappointed to hear that, but didn’t comment on it. They both knew Nyx had important duties to attend to. He told Prompto to head towards their usual games, and that he was going to go buy some tokens. Prompto nodded, then began to walk deeper into the arcade, noticing Ignis trailing behind him.

Wow, the guy was incredibly light on his feet, despite the fact that Prompto knows those loafers have a distinctive _clack_ against floors. 

Finally, he reached the corner where his and Noctis’ favorite games were, and then turned to face Ignis. “So,” he started casually, leaning against the game console. “How’ve you been?” He blinked innocently, even going as far as to offer the other a smile.

“I’ve been in good spirits up until today,” Ignis shot back, his voice polite but sharp.

Prompto laughed, “oh, yeah, I bet! Sorry that you gotta come to the arcade with us. You’ve probably got, like, super important advisor duties to do.” He grinned, “oh! By the way, I was wondering if I could snag that jello recipe from you? I really liked it, so I was hoping to make more.” He waved his hands in front of him, gesturing emphatically. He took great pride in watching Ignis’ jaw click. 

“Of course.” Ignis forced through grit teeth.

He winked, “don’t forget the secret ingredient, either, ‘kay?” Ignis’ nostrils flared, and his mouth opened to say something, and while Prompto was curious as to _what_ , he saw Noctis approaching. “Noct! Buddy! Guess what? I convinced Iggy to play a few rounds with us!” He cut a glance towards the advisor, daring him to disagree. Especially once he saw the joy flick across Noctis’ face.

“Really, Specs?” There was an excited look on the guy’s face, “we haven’t played video games together in _years_ , man!” There was absolutely no way that Ignis could deny Noctis, Prompto knew. The teen looked like the moon in the sky was hung just for him, and that Ignis was the one who did it. 

“I...will play a few games, yes.” Ignis shoved his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose. 

Prompto smiled smugly, looping an arm around Noctis’. “Come on, time’s a-wastin’!”

* * *

Ignis was very good at video games. Prompto wasn’t surprised, though. Especially since Ignis seemed to be good at _everything_ he did. He managed a new high score on one of the racing games, and even gave Noctis a run for his money in Justice Monsters. However, when it came to the shooting games, Prompto blew them all out of the water. 

The older man had looked at him curiously for a few moments, but Prompto had just grinned in response, and pretended to blow away the nonexistent smoke from the end of the plastic barrel. Everything he was doing was simply because he wanted to have fun! 

Well.

Okay, maybe he wanted to show off. Just a little.

Maybe it wasn’t his brightest idea - showing the guy who tried to kill him what he was good at, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. Noctis had the biggest grin on his face, and that was all that mattered to the blonde. 

“Prom!” Someone called out to him. He was in the middle of a game; they were lucky that he didn’t let it distract him. “Prom, Nyx sent me over to give you guys some food?” Prompto still refused to look away from the screen. 

“Thanks, Crowe. Gimme a sec, I’ll be done soon.”

There was a strangled noise that came from beside him, and he knew it was Ignis. Noctis was the one who was wheezing, probably. “Glaive Altius,” Ignis greeted, “I was not expecting to see you here.” 

Prompto didn’t even need to look at Crowe to know that the woman’s grin was a mile long. “Got off shift early, and Nyx all but begged me to bring Prom and His Highness some food. I live in the area, so I figured why not.”

Prompto snorted, “out of the goodness of your heart, I’m sure.”

“Oh, Six, no. Nyx owes me a shift cover at my discretion, and a pack of beer.” Prompto watched Crowe hand Noctis a container of food in the dark glare of the screen. He smiled to himself, and continued to shoot at the animated zombies. Eventually, his time ran out. He might not have died, but he didn’t complete the mission, and that had been enough to end the game. 

He whirled around after placing the plastic gun on the rack. “Crowe!” He cheered, holding his arms out in greeting for the woman. 

She laughed, giving him a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Hey there, sunshine. You been behavin’?”

Prompto’s smile was mischievous. “Don’t know what you’re talking about; I’m always on my best behavior.” He raised a hand to his chest, scoffing, “and how dare you imply otherwise.”

“Mhm, sure. You and Nyx are too similar for your own goods.” She pinched him in the side, causing him to yelp. “You need to visit more,” she huffed, “it’s always Nyx and Libertus and those two are good for nothing but emptying my liquor cabinet. At least I can have a conversation with you...”

Noctis snorted, food already shoved in his mouth. “I can’t imagine what kinda drunk Prompto would be.” Prompto huffed. Rude. He didn’t drink; he was under the legal age, after all. Besides, Nyx would probably find it an opportune time to give Prompto another lesson regarding not lowering your guard around others. 

Crowe waved her hand, “won’t know for a long time. You boys are much too young to even think about drinking,” she fixed Prompto with a hard look. “Right, Prompto?”

“Yes, Crowe,” he muttered, looking to the side.

She ruffled his hair, causing him to squawk in protest. “Good boy,” she crooned.

He just glared at her.

Ignis coughed, “please chew with your mouth shut, Highness.” Then, he turned to Crowe and Prompto. “I was unaware you knew each other.” 

Prompto shrugged, then waved him off. There’s a lot you don’t know about me, he wanted to say. He paused. Well, if Ignis was still going to try to kill him, might as well give him a reason, right? “There’s a bunch you don’t know about me,” he chirped, laughing as if it were a joke. 

Noctis snorted, “you’re an open book.”

“This one?” Crowe raised her eyebrows. “Nah. His secrets have secrets.”

That caused the blonde to flush. He hadn’t exactly meant it like that... besides, Crowe didn’t know him like Nyx and Libertus did. She didn’t _know_ what he could do. Just that Nyx was fond of him, and that Libertus had a soft spot for him, too. Well. She was smart, so maybe she knew more than she let on. The way Crowe was grinning at him, though, told him she was just teasing. “You’ve been around Lib too much, you’re getting mean...”

“You know, there’s something about a pot and a kettle...” He shoved her off, shaking his head. “What? I bring you your favorite and this is what it gets me? See if I bring you food next time.” Prompto rolled his eyes, and murmured his thanks before taking the container. 

He opened it up, eyes glittering when he saw the green curry soup. “My hero,” he told her dramatically, swooning a bit for added effect. He grabbed a spoon, and immediately scooped some up. Then, he paused. “Wanna try some, Ignis?” He asked, then blinked innocently with a smile, “promise it’s not poisoned or anything.” 

Noctis and Crowe laughed, thinking that Prompto was just messing with Ignis. He nearly cheered in triumph at the fire he saw in Ignis’ eyes. Take _that!_ He thought. He wanted Ignis to know his failure, and he wanted to Ignis to know that _he_ knew he failed. 

Stiffly, Ignis reached out for the container, “if you don’t mind,” he murmured softly. Prompto handed it over, watching as Ignis took his spoon and tried a bite. He seemed rather interested in the taste, and his expression seemed to soften for a few seconds. 

“Thinking up a new recipe, Specs?” 

Noctis’ voice snapped Ignis out of his thoughts, clearing his throat once more before handing the food back to Prompto. “Apologies,” he reached for a handkerchief, wiping at his mouth. It was oddly elegant, and Prompto was ridiculously jealous of the grace Ignis had. He slurped loudly at his soup, leaning into things he was familiar with. 

Crowe gave a fond huff, then turned to Prompto. “Alright, kid, I’m gonna head out. Just wanted to drop you off some dinner. I’ll see you around,” she leaned forward, pressing a peck to his cheek once more before saying goodbye to Ignis and Noctis.

Noctis watched her go, then tilted his head to the side. “So,” he began casually, “older women?”

Prompto nearly spat out his mouthful of food all over Ignis’ pristine, light purple dress shirt. Pity, he should have taken the chance. “Dude!” He squeaked. “No! Not even! She and Nyx became friends once he joined the Glaive and I see her a lot! Friendly! Like, mom-friendly!”

“I don’t know, you hear how the guys at school talk about wanting to hook up with older women...”

“Highness, I hardly think that’s appropriate -”

“I’m not into Crowe!” Prompto hurried to get out. “Nope! Not at all! Trust me! 

“You two did seem rather close...” Ignis remarked, to which Prompto immediately sent the man a scathing look. 

He crossed his arms, glaring at the pair. “No, seriously. I’m not into Crowe, you guys.” He received twin looks of suspicion. “You guys are the worst. Terrible.”

Noctis laughed loudly, and the conversation was dropped. Ignis kept looking him over, but just assumed it was the man trying to look for an opening to get rid of him. Prompto flashed him a bright grin and winked.

He hadn’t been expecting the light pink to tint Ignis’ cheeks. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter may or may not be up early since I very little self control and wanted to yeet the whole fic up, like, before it was even written lmao. 
> 
> Ty to everyone who has kudos/subscribed/bookmarked/commented and those that continue to do so!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Besides,” Prompto spoke, “all of_ that _is the best you’ve got?” There was a snap, and Prompto was pretty sure it was the handle of the knife the guy had been using. He bit his lip to stifle a grin, making sure to keep his very vulnerable back towards Ignis. “What are you?_ Scared? _”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pettiness, thy name is Prompto
> 
> Look, Prompto is just there out of pure spite at this point. Sure, Ignis might be hot, but like, Prompto's a bad bitch you can't kill him. 
> 
> Ignis just getting increasingly frustrated as time goes on and loosing his composure little by little is _chef's kiss_ to me lmao
> 
> ~~poor Gladio is just,,,,s h o ok~~
> 
> This is a little bit of a longer update since I sort of changed some chapter parts around (meaning: i didn't like how one chapter ended so I took a different one and split it and now you have a monster chapter lmao)
> 
> Enjoy, y'all!

It was another few weeks before Prompto had the time to hang out with Noctis over the weekend. He had been so busy with schoolwork, photography, and...jobs. He didn’t lie about Vyv. The guy paid good money, and Nyx seemed to trust him. Speaking of, he had even helped Nyx and Libertus out at Half Moon. The bar was lively, and even if Prompto couldn’t serve drinks, he could make things easier and run food. 

“You’re coming over tonight, right?” Noctis asked for what was probably the fifteenth time that day.

“ _Yes_ ,” Prompto responded for what was definitely the fifteenth time that day.

Noctis huffed, “just making sure. I don’t know, I’m worried that last time left a bad taste in your mouth or something.” 

Prompto waved him off. He was coming over to the apartment, and this time he was coming prepared. He wouldn’t bring a gun - that was asking for too much trouble if Gladio caught sight of it. Even then, if Ignis were to see it, all bets might be off and the man may just plain attack him, uncaring that Noctis was there. The advisor could probably spin a story, and no one would be the wiser. 

He sighed. Instead, he’d make sure to bring the Phoenix Down that Nyx insisted he carried, along with the antidote, and the hi-potion. “Is Ignis cooking again?” He asked. When Noctis nodded, he gave a tight smile, but didn’t comment. It’s alright, he could do this. It’s fine.

He’s fine. 

So, when the time came, Prompto made his way to Noctis’ apartment building. He eyed the elevator curiously for a few moments before deciding it would just be safer to take the stairs again. Especially now that he knows that Ignis isn’t afraid in staging his death.

When he knocked on the door, Noctis opened it with a grin, “hey, man. Ready to get your ass beat at King's Knight?”

Prompto scoffed, “you wish, Noct.” He took off his shoes, and placed his jacket on the hook. He patted his friend on the shoulder. “Gimme a sec, I’m gonna go say hi to Ignis and grab some snacks.” Noctis waved him off, walking towards the living room and flopping onto the couch. 

The blonde moved towards the kitchen, making sure that he all but stomped on the way over. He made no effort in concealing where he was; what good would it do? Ignis heard Noctis greet him at the door. “Heyaz,” he greeted, hopping up to sit on the counter. “Whatcha makin’ tonight?”

Ignis gave him a fleeting glance, not even pausing as he continued to chop the vegetables on the cutting board. “A surprise,” he responded flatly. Prompto noticed that Ignis’ slices and chops were even and precise. 

“Ooh, you know, normally I really like surprises,” Prompto started, “but...poison?” He asked, looking at the other with condescension. “Really?” That seemed to give Ignis pause. Prompto still had a cheery grin plastered across his face, legs swinging from side to side. “If you’re gonna kill me, don’t be a coward about it, Igster.” He chirped, hopping off the counter and patting the man on a tense shoulder. “Good chat. Can’t wait for dinner! No more surprises, though, ‘kay?”

* * *

Dinner was served. There was...an itching in the back of Prompto’s throat. Which, while odd, did not necessarily mean poison. He picked up his napkin, coughing a bit, then spared a glance at Ignis, who looked no less perturbed than usual. Prompto coughed again.

“Are you quite alright, Prompto?” Ignis inquired. Prompto fought back the urge to glare at the man. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just got a little tickle in my throat.” 

Gladio glanced at him, “you’re looking kinda red, chocobo...” 

Prompto cleared his throat, placing his utensils down on the table. He nervously scratched on his neck, and once he did, he found that he couldn’t _stop_ scratching. He tried to take a deep breath, but it was getting more difficult. “Ignis,” he tried to speak evenly, but it came out as more of a wheeze. “What did you...what did you make for dinner?”

Ignis blinked, face morphing into one of overdone concern. He wanted to punch the look off the man’s face. It didn’t belong there, and the smugness in Ignis’ eyes was enough to tell him that Ignis had planned this. He groaned, scratching his jaw for a moment. “Just some shrimp and vegetables in peanut sauce.”

It wasn’t only Prompto who wheezed at that. 

“Specs!” Noctis shouted, “I told you he was allergic!” The teen shot out of his seat, and immediately rushed towards Prompto’s bag. Prompto wasn’t even able to tell Noctis to not rifle through his things - there was a lot of...stuff in there that he would rather the Prince not find out. The Phoenix Down that civilians aren’t supposed to have...the antidote...the hi-potion... At least he chose not to bring his gun. Noctis made a small sound of triumph upon reaching into Prompto’s bag. Then, he rushed over to Prompto and suddenly jabbed the blonde in the thigh. 

“Gladio! Ignis! Call for an ambulance, damnit!” Noctis shouted, and Prompto was left in awe for a moment over how much Noctis cared about him. Enough to stark barking out orders like the Prince he was. He wheezed a laugh. There wasn’t much he could do besides offer a weak pat on the Prince’s shoulder.

Instead of calling for an ambulance, Gladio simply moved towards Prompto, and picked him up in a bridal carry. “It’ll be quicker to take him to the ER ourselves than wait for an ambulance to take him.” Noctis looked like he wanted to argue, but quickly saw the logic in the larger man’s words. 

“Alright, come on, let’s go. He needs to be checked out.”

“We should take two cars,” Ignis suggested, “that way, if one of us needs to leave, the others aren’t left stranded.” Prompto noticed how Gladio pursed his lips, but didn’t argue. He just carried Prompto out of the apartment. “I’ll drive Prompto. I do believe it would be the best course of action.” Gladio looked like he wanted to argue (Prompto noticed he looked like that a lot when it came to Ignis’ fake kindness), but once again, he didn’t. 

So, when they got to the car, and Prompto was buckled into the passenger seat, much more aware than he had been back in the apartment during the initial reaction, he let out a small groan. They were on the road now, Gladio and Noctis in the car behind them. 

“Can’t believe you tried to kill me via my nut allergy,” he muttered, rubbing at his reddened cheeks. “Rude, by the way. Sloppy, too.” He really shouldn’t be instigating anything right now, seeing as he was rather weak and defenseless in a moving vehicle. “Should’ve...realized I always carry my epipen.” He let out a laugh, and shook his head. “I dunno who you think you are, man, but you’ve gotta do better than that to kill me.” 

He took immense pleasure in watching gloved hands tighten on the steering wheel. It was _so_ easy to get under the advisor’s skin, and Prompto found it was his new favorite pastime. 

“You’re not really subtle, either, y’know?” He wasn’t going to name drop Gladio, but he’s almost positive that the man knows about Ignis. He could only hope that being Noctis’ Shield and boyfriend was enough to save him. “Should probs work on that.”

Ignis was quiet the entire drive, and Prompto thought that silence had never been so sweet.

* * *

Nyx was already standing at the entrance, and Prompto could tell that he wasn’t pleased. He sighed. Gladio must have called him. Well, he supposed that it was better that Gladio did it and not the hospital staff once they realized he was a minor and needed a guardian. 

(Nyx had asked about his parents once day, and Prompto shrugged in response. They didn’t really interact with him much. When Nyx suggested forging some documents so that Prompto could officially be under his care, the blonde had waved him off. It would be cheaper not to. Besides, it had been comically easy to convince his parents to relinquish guardianship to Nyx. He barely told them the fake reason the two of them had come up with (Prompto needed school documents signed, and Nyx was a neighbor looking after him) before they already signed the papers.) 

“Damn it, Prompto,” Nyx muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose once they were close enough to hear each other. “What happened now?” Prompto was silently grateful that Nyx’s Kingsglaive benefits carried over to him as the man’s ward. 

“Peanut sauce,” he replied with a weak laugh, leaning heavily on Ignis. The man had helped him from the car to the entrance. Part of him wanted to make Ignis carry him, but he doubted that he would have done so. It was more likely that he would have called for Gladio’s assistance. 

Nyx blinked. “Peanuts? Prompto, you’re allergic, we’ve been over this.”

He rolled his eyes, “not my fault this time.” This time, at least. Sue him for wanting to try a Peanut Butter Cup. He discreetly jabbed his fingers into Ignis’ side. “Iggy forgot, and made this really yummy dinner and I had to go and ruin it. Noct grabbed my epi, and here we are,” he gave his friend a weak smile. “Can I just get checked out now so that we can go home?”

Nyx’s face softened, then he nodded. He gently took Prompto from Ignis, who looked as if he had eaten a lemon, and led him inside the hospital. Prompto is a tad disappointed that the doors closed behind him, and his friends didn't follow.Instead, Noctis had rounded on Ignis and he looked upset. Prompto could hear yelling even as Nyx led him down a hall. 

Damn. He didn’t want Ignis to be yelled at by Noctis. That wasn’t something he’d wish on anyone.

“I can’t believe he tried to kill you. Again.” Nyx paused. “With your peanut allergy! Doesn't he have standards?” There was a heavy huff that came from Nyx, but all Prompto could do was laugh and pat Nyx on his unfairly buff bicep. 

“That’s what _I’m_ saying, man.”

* * *

It continued this way for quite a while. Ignis would try to poison him, and Prompto would miraculously show up the next day, poison-free, and sending Ignis finger guns and the brightest of grins. 

“You are a _weed_ ,” Ignis seethed one night, chopping the vegetables a bit harsher than he needed to. 

“Aw, that hurts, Specs,” Prompto held a hand over his heart, “and here I thought we were friends.” Ignis’ glare was ice cold, which caused Prompto to lean over and pat the man on the cheek. He’s almost positive it took all of Ignis’ self restraint to not try to bite at his fingers. “Don’t worry, man. Hey, maybe you’ll get it next time! Doubt it, but still! You can always be optimistic!” Prompto probably shouldn’t be antagonizing Ignis over the man’s inability to kill him, but... oh well.

He hopped off the counter and began to walk towards the living room. “Besides,” Prompto spoke, “all of _that_ is the best you’ve got?” There was a snap, and Prompto was pretty sure it was the handle of the knife the guy had been using. He bit his lip to stifle a grin, making sure to keep his very vulnerable back towards Ignis. “What are you? _Scared?_ ” He counted, one, two, and then ducked immediately. There was a solid _thunk_ as the knife connected with the wall. Prompto smiled.

“Is everything okay in there?” Noctis’ voice called out. 

Ignis cleared his throat, “quite. My hand just slipped.” 

“Prom?” Gladio called out.

Ah, at least Prompto knew that Gladio was concerned about his well-being in the face of a trained killer. “All good, big guy! Think I just startled Iggy!” There was a long intake of breath coming from behind him. Then, Prompto walked forward, plucked the knife out of the wood, and trotted back over. “Here ya go. Think you dropped this.”

The breath Ignis had taken in, likely to calm himself down, was let out in a rush. “I will kill you,” Ignis told him. His voice was even, and it was easy to tell that Ignis was sure in himself. 

Prompto laughed, “looking forward to it, buddy.”

If Ignis thought he was a weed, well, then, he’d simply have to live up to that, huh?

* * *

After that encounter, Ignis had taken to being a bit more physical in his attempts. 

Prompto couldn’t even be upset over it at this point. He was the one who invited Ignis to play this game, and besides, it was way too much fun to see how frustrated Ignis got every time he popped back up.

He was walking with Ignis and Gladio. Noctis needed to head to the Citadel for some official business, but it was an arcade day, and Gladio insisted on going despite Noctis not being there. That was fine with Prompto - he didn’t mind hanging out with Gladio, and any opportunity to get under Ignis’ skin was good in his book. Nyx had work that evening, anyway.

Nyx had wanted to strangle him when Prompto finally admitted to what he was doing, but when Prompto explained to him how much _fun_ it was, Nyx had just looked at him strangely. That was neither here nor there. 

Now, they were walking out of the arcade, Gladio and Prompto laughing about one thing or another and Ignis chiming in with either a scathing remark or witty comeback. The sun had set earlier and the glow of streetlamps lit the sidewalks. It was nice. Normal. Prompto totally forgot about Ignis’ agenda.

Until he realized he was on the side of the street, Ignis between him and Gladio, and the pointed toe of Altissian leather oxfords was digging into his ankle.

The fucker tripped him. 

Prompto flailed, yelping into the growing darkness, and found that the pavement was uneven. It threw him even more off-balance, and despite Gladio trying to grab for him, Prompto ended up face down on asphalt. He groaned, shaking his head to try and reorient himself. That’s when he heard the honking. 

Fucking Six, Ignis had pushed him into oncoming traffic. 

Gladio was yelling, but Ignis had a hand pressed to the Shield’s chest, preventing him from running into the street. Prompto could just make out Ignis’ mouth moving, but he couldn’t hear anything but the honks of a car horn. He quickly tried to get to his feet, but found that he was a bit woozy. Had he hit his head on the way down? It wouldn’t be completely out of the realm of possibility. He scrambled backwards, trying to get to the curb as fast as he could. 

Once he was close enough for Gladio to be able to reach out and grab him, he found himself hauled back onto the sidewalk, one wild pair of eyes staring down at him in concern, and another pair looking disappointed. Prompto sighed. “Thanks, big guy,” he mumbled. One hand reached up to poke at his head, wincing at the pain and letting out another sigh when he felt the stickiness that could only be blood. Prompto asked Gladio to help him up to his feet. Once settled, Prompto tried to take stock of himself. 

“You good?” Gladio asked him, hands hovering by his head, as if he were ready to start patting down Prompto for injuries. 

Prompto waved him off. It was Ignis’ voice that he was listening to. The man tutted. “It’s just _so_ unfortunate that you _tripped_ into traffic, dear. Thank the Astrals you’re alright.” Prompto’s eye twitched. 

“Yep,” he responded, voice lacking its distinctive cheer. Gladio wouldn’t stop staring at him. Prompto ignored it. Gladio probably thought he was in shock. Then, he took a step forward, feeling a breeze against his shin. That was weird. He looked down. “Ignis,” he started, voice even and deadly. Gladio physically took a step back without thinking. 

“Yes, Prompto?”

“You owe me a new pair of jeans.”

There was a pause, then a heavy sigh. “Very well. I shall take your measurements once we’ve dropped you off.”

“What the fuck.” Gladio muttered to himself.

Prompto glanced at him, a half grin on his face, “it’s all good, man, I know he didn’t mean it!”

“I most certainly did.”

“ _Ignis_ ,” Gladio croaked. 

“Nah, it’s chill. Don’t even sweat it, bro.” With that, Prompto started walking, slapping Gladio on the arm as he walked by. “C’mon! I wanna get home and wash the blood off my face.”

Gladio followed behind him, dumbfounded. Ignis took up the spot to his left - separating him from the street. That was odd, but Prompto chose not to question it.

* * *

“Why won’t you just _stay dead?_ ” Ignis hissed one day.

Prompto was just sitting at the table in the kitchen, looking through the pictures he took earlier. Two days ago, Ignis not only stabbed him in the shoulder, ruining one of his favorite shirts (rude), but also left a surprise toxin in his food. It had forced him to dig out the antidote _and_ Hi-Potion in his bag and use them. He didn’t even glance up. “Ask myself the same question almost every day,” he told the man. Now, he looked up, and grabbed the can on the table. Ignis had his back to him, bent slightly and looking for something in the fridge. 

“Do you now?”

“Yeah,” Prompto drawled. “I find that the answer is usually ‘to spite Iggy.’” He explained, then loudly slurped at what had been the last can of Ebony in the fridge, smiling to himself as the man stiffened. Bingo. “Need more Ebony, by the way.” 

* * *

“Man, I feel gross,” Prompto laughed, shoving Noctis off him. “I need a shower.” 

Noctis whined, “you can use mine. Don’t goooo.” 

Prompto laughed, “I don’t even have spare clothes here.” Which, he probably should with the amount of time he spends there. With his luck, though, Ignis will grab his clothes and _accidentally_ spill bleach all over the black garments like the asshole he was. 

“You borrow mine! Or even Gladio’s!” He paused, “Gladio’s clothes are really comfy.”

He scrunched his nose in response. “Gross.”

“Hey! Rude! Not like that! You’re the one that’s gross!” Noctis’ face was a bright cherry red, and it made Prompto snicker. “I mean, I guess you can borrow some of Iggy’s...”

Prompto perked up a bit. _Ignis’_ clothes? Noctis had some here and would let him borrow them? He smiled. “Sounds good, buddy. Iggy’s probably the only one with _clean_ clothes, anyway.” Even as Prompto jumped up to make his way to the bathroom, “I’ll be out in a few. Can ya leave the clothes in front of the door?” Noctis’ confirmation was enough for Prompto to slip into the bathroom and start the shower. 

He hummed to himself, turning to start the water. The shower wasn’t difficult to navigate - despite the fact that Noctis lived in a high-end apartment, Prompto was glad to see that at least their showers were the same. He undressed, letting his soiled clothes (really, he didn’t understand why Noctis decided to tackle him in the park out of nowhere. Gladio had been howling with laughter, and even though Prompto was letting out his own laughs, he really had to keep reminding himself that Noctis wasn’t a threat, that he was his _best friend_ , and on top of all that, he was _the Crown Prince of Lucis_. If he hurt the guy, then he was going to wish that Ignis had succeeded all those times before. 

Prompto rubbed at his face, giving a small shake before stepping into the shower. He groaned happily as the hot water hit his front and eased the sore muscles he received from falling on the ground. He shifted, wanting to turn so that his back could be put under the spray, but...there was something wrong. 

As he turned, he felt his feet slip out from under him. He fell with a shout, banging his head against the tile of the wall. Prompto groaned, opening his eyes and squinting at the tub, noticing that the water was beading more than usual. He rubbed the ceramic with the tips of his fingers. Oil. The tub was _oiled_. 

What the fuck. Was Ignis there? Was he there without Prompto noticing? Terrible. He huffed, forcing himself to press up into a sitting position. Fuck, he fell and hit not only his head, which was throbbing at his temple, but he also hit his shoulder and elbow on the way down. He grumbled, scrubbing the dirt off as he sat under the spray before carefully standing and stepping out of the shower. 

Prompto grabbed a towel that he knew was clean, and then moved to the door, grabbing the clothes Noctis had set out. As soon as the door had opened, Noctis called out to him. “Everything alright? I thought I heard a scream. You weren’t jerking off in my shower, right?” 

“Ew! Gross! No, dude! I just fell! Was Iggy cleaning earlier or something?” He held the clothes to his chest, and stepped back from the door. He left it cracked so that he could call out to Noctis.

“Hm? No? Why?”

“It’s slippery.”

“Oh! _Oh!_ Nah, I was just using coco butter earlier. I must not have wiped it down as much as I usually do.”

Coco butter. God damnit, Noctis. Was his best friend trying to kill him now, too?! “Oh, gotcha!” He pulled on the clean pair of jeans - they still had the tag on them. They were his size, too. His exact size; not Noctis’, even if he borrowed jeans from the other since they were close enough. Weird, but he wasn’t going to complain. Then, he grabbed the light purple button up, grinning. _That,_ he knew, was Ignis’. He shrugged the shirt on, but left it unbuttoned for now. Noctis wouldn’t care. What Prompto wanted was to see _Ignis’_ reaction. 

“Iggy’s makin’ dinner tonight, right?” He asked, making sure. 

“Yep. Damn, you look good in Specs’ clothes,” he murmured absently, looking Prompto up and down for a moment. “Come on, man, I wanna play games, hurry up.” 

Prompto laughed, and stepped out of the bathroom. His hair was still a bit wet when he joined Noctis on the couch. 

* * *

When Ignis arrived at the apartment, he bypassed the living area without even a glance. He and Noctis both greeted him, but it looked like the man was on a mission. Prompto frowned, and when he turned to look at Noctis for answers, the other teen shrugged. “I’ll be right back,” he finally muttered, pushing himself up to stand. 

He found Ignis standing stiffly in front of the counter. The man’s shoulders were held tense, and it was obvious that he wasn’t doing anything but just standing there. “...Iggy?” Prompto started, voice careful. He didn’t want to startle the man, or even make his bad day even worse. Sure, he might enjoy getting under the guy’s skin and teasing him, but if Iggy wasn’t alright, then... “Bad day?”

There was a sharp inhale. “I am not in the mood to deal with games tonight, Prompto.” 

“No, no,” Prompto promised, “no games, won’t even give you a hard time. I just...you look like you needed to talk to someone.” He stayed quiet, but took a few steps forward, a hand outstretched. After a second of hesitation, he let it rest between the other’s shoulder blades. “Hey,” he murmured, sliding next to him. “What happened?”

Ignis took a deep breath, and pushed back into Prompto’s hand - odd, but the blonde didn’t say anything about it, just stayed silent. He waited. He didn’t have to wait too long. “There was...a close call.” The man began. Prompto tensed, just the slightest bit, but didn’t interrupt him. “The other day. I was in a meeting, Gladio had been with Iris, and you were...working. Noctis was left by himself, with strict orders to not leave the apartment, and I found out earlier that he _had_ gone out, and nearly got himself killed because of it. I...” Ignis trailed off, then pursed his lips. “The job you took... you saved Noct’s life.” 

Prompto blinked, “what?”

“The person after His Highness’ life had been your target for that evening. You had taken him out, just as, I presume, he raised his gun to take out _his_ target that was in a dark sweatshirt, hood up, and a bag of fast food in one hand.” Ignis explained. It was Prompto’s turn to stiffen. All that was...true. He had taken out threats to Noctis’ life ever since becoming friends with the guy, but this was the first that others knew about. He hadn’t even known who his target’s target was that night.

“Oh, um,” he squirmed a bit, letting his hand fall from Ignis’ back. He wasn’t sure if the man was upset with him or not. He couldn’t tell. Ignis just sounded so _tired_. 

As his hand dropped away, Prompto moved to put some space between the two of them, but jolted when he felt a hand wrap around his wrist to hold him in place. Ignis’ fingers slid down a bit and tangled with his own. Blue eyes widened as they stared at their joined hands. Ignis had shifted closer, and his head was now turned to the side to look at him. He raised his gaze, and it was _Prompto’s_ turn to take in a sharp breath. 

“ _Thank you_ , Prompto.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't be fooled, Iggy saw his shirt and had Feelings _again_ about Prompto. Less stabby feelings and more "oh no, I can finally admit to myself that he's hot" feelings pfft 
> 
> ~~Prompto just sort of forgot he was wearing the shirt bc it was comfy and rly soft/smooth on his skin and he def didn't realize how Noct just kept staring at him while he was playing video games~~
> 
> And suddenly! There's a shift! Iggy is _thanking_ Prompto for keeping Noct safe and he's so genuinely grateful. Especially now that he knows that he can trust Prompto to take care of Noct/keep him safe/isn't a threat. What does this mean for opposing forces???
> 
> Ty to everyone who commented/kudos/bookmarked/shared/etc this fic!! I'm so thankful to each and every one of you!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The nicer Ignis was being, the more on-edge Prompto felt. He couldn’t understand the sudden change in attitude. It didn’t make_ sense. _Nothing about the new situation he found himself in made sense!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a Talk but it's not _the_ Talk. 
> 
> Enjoy, y'all!

It was...weird after that.

Ignis didn’t glare at him as much any more. He also knew that the man now trusted him around Noctis alone. While he might have _had_ to leave the pair to themselves in the past, he never liked it. Now, though? Ignis would only nod in approval whenever Prompto was mentioned, and when they saw each other, the guy would actually _smile_. 

It was _weird_. 

Prompto had no idea what to make of it. 

It made him antsy, if he were being honest. He was used to the glares and the poison and the ‘accidents.’ He almost _missed_ those interactions. Almost. Now, though, he was sitting on the couch, Noctis’ feet on his lap as they lounged. He was on his phone, switching between Kwehter and Lucisgram. Noctis was doing something, but it wasn’t like he really needed to know what his friend was up to.

“Prompto, darling,” a voice called for him, “would you mind giving me a hand in the kitchen?” Prompto’s entire body went rigid at the inquiry. Ignis had never invited him into the kitchen - what Prompto had learned was the man’s domain - and the other had _never_ asked for help in _anything_ before. He quickly looked to Noctis, who had slid his feet off his lap - the traitor - and shrugged. 

“He probs just wants you to cut up some vegetables or something. If it’s carrots, throw some on the floor alright?” The teen shrugged, which made Prompto glower in response. Just for that, he would be cutting up _extra_ carrots for Noctis.

The blonde carefully made his way into the kitchen, tensed and ready to jump into defense the moment Ignis decided to throw a knife at him. He bit his lip, “uh, what’s up?”

“Oh, no need to be so tense, dear. Would you please begin peeling the potatoes?” 

Prompto blinked. The... Ignis wanted him to peel potatoes? “Um,” he started. “Last time I tried to help make dinner, you stabbed me with a fork, Ignis.” He squinted at the man, who was _humming_ to himself as he moved about the kitchen. “Are you...are you drunk?” He asked, the incredulity bleeding into his tone. 

Ignis turned around and moved towards him. The man crowded into his space without giving Prompto any time to respond. “Not on anything you need to worry about, pet.” There was a twinkle in those green eyes, and Prompto had to admit that it made something warm inside his chest. Ignis’ lips quirked into a smirk. “Now. The potatoes, please.”

He nodded dumbly, unable to think of anything to say in response. “Potatoes. Yeah. Alright.” 

Ignis’ smile - warm! It was a warm smile! - left him even more confused.

* * *

Ignis didn’t try to poison him that night.

* * *

The nicer Ignis was being, the more on-edge Prompto felt. He couldn’t understand the sudden change in attitude. It didn’t make _sense._ Nothing about the new situation he found himself in made sense! 

Someone came up behind him, a heavy hand clapping him on the shoulder. He couldn’t help his jump of surprise. 

“Geez, blondie, what’s got you wound up so tight?” Gladio asked, brow furrowed. 

“N-nothing!” He shot back quickly. Loudly. That seemed to gain the attention of both Noctis and Ignis. 

Noctis squinted at him, “Prom?” The blonde shook his head, trying to tell his best friend that he was fine and to drop the subject. Noctis settled back against the couch, giving one last look to the blonde, but didn’t say anything.

It didn’t seem that Ignis understood, or cared to let it go. The man had his lips pursed, and his eyes narrowed behind the glasses he always wore. “Are you sure, Prompto?” The words were soft; filled with concern. It made Prompto’s skin crawl. 

“Yep! Don’t worry about me! I’m fine! For realsies! I’m just gonna...get some air. Um. Be back in a sec.” He shrugged off Gladio’s hand, grabbed his coat, and stomped out of the apartment. 

He could hear his friends talking while he was leaving, but he barely paid them any mind. There were footsteps coming from behind him. Part of him was tempted to start jumping down the staircases (he still didn’t trust the elevator), but he had a feeling that it would just make everything worse. “Prompto?” A voice called out. An accented voice filled with worry. Shit. “Prompto, wait!”

Prompto wanted to keep running. He really wanted to keep running, but the fact that he knew that Ignis would continue to chase him if he didn’t listen made him slow to a stop with a sigh. He turned, and waited for the man to reach the floor he was on. “What’s up, Iggy? Because I really just need to figure some things out.” He wanted to call Nyx. Or even Libertus. Crowe would be good, too, but he would have to censor a lot of what he said. 

Ignis stood in front of him now, an incredibly foreign frown marring his features. “What’s wrong?” 

Prompto stared for a while. “Shit,” he finally said with a weak laugh. “Why are you being nice to me all of a sudden?”

“Beg your pardon?”

“With all the smiles and the concern and the - the not poisoning my food or causing me bodily harm! It’s weird! Why are you being _nice!_ ”

Ignis’ frown only deepened. “I’m...afraid I don’t understand, darling.”

“That’s another thing!” The blonde shouted. “ _Darling_ this, _dear_ that! Why mock me when it’s easier to just...I don’t know. Put arsenic in my soup?” 

“Don’t be ridiculous, I would mix arsenic in your tea, not your soup.”

He let out a loud groan. “Not the point! _So_ not the point, Iggy.” He rubbed at his face. “If you’re preparing some sort of big murder plot, just...just get on with it, alright? The waiting is ridiculous. Stop playing with me, and get it over with!” He was breathing heavy by the end of his rant, all but glaring at Ignis. 

“Are we...not friends, Prompto?” 

Prompto.exe has stopped working. Please restart the device and attempt to try again.

“What?”

Ignis shifted, taking his glasses off and cleaning the lenses with a handkerchief. It was a nervous habit that Prompto noticed a while back. It wasn’t often the man did it, but it was a habit nonetheless. “I was...ah, under the impression that we were, well. Friends.” Prompto looked at Ignis, searching for any sort of bluff. He found none - which shocked him. Ignis truly thought this?

“Dude, you, uh, hated me from, like, the moment you met me?”

“Yes, well, I was under the impression that you were a threat. Not just to Noctis, but to the rest of those around him.” Prompto knew Ignis meant Gladio. “I was simply exercising caution as I’ve been taught.” 

There was a primness returning to his voice, and Prompto relaxed into it. “So? What changed?”

“You saved Noct.”

“ _Ignis_ ,” Prompto sighed. “If I knew that protecting Noct was all it took to get your approval, I would have told you after the first time I did it.”

Ignis took a step forward, startled. “The first time? How many times, exactly, has His Highness been under threat?” 

Prompto tilted his head in thought. “Uh...I dunno. It’s been about once a month? What’s the date?” Ignis was staring at him. “Probably, like, six or seven hits?”

“You took care of them?”

“Yep.”

“The bodies?”

“Magic’s _super_ useful, but the smell is _terrible_.”

“You can use magic?”

Prompto shook his head, then grinned widely. “Nah, but I know a guy.” 

“I...see.” 

Ignis took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he did so. “Would you feel more comfortable if I were to continue trying to take your life?”

He frowned, thinking about it. “Honestly? Probably, yeah. The...super nice act feels really fake.”

“I can be nice,” Ignis sniffed.

The blonde waved his hand noncommittally. “To Noct, maybe. So, like, just...try not to _actually_ kill me? I’d really hate to die and have to haunt you. So, try to keep the damage to...where I don’t need a trip to the ER or a Phoenix Down? Please?”

Ignis straightened. He gave a single sharp nod, and then stepped forward to bend his head downwards. “You’ve got yourself a deal, darling.” 

There was...something dripping off the man’s word. Something like a promise, and it sent a shiver down Prompto’s spine. He cleared his throat twice, “um. Great. Good talk.” He flushed darkly. “What’s the likelihood of finding Noct and Gladio making out on the couch?”

* * *

The moment that Prompto and Ignis returned to the apartment, Noctis was already settled on top of Gladio’s lap, his sweatshirt peeled off and tossed to the ground. Ignis tutted before reaching down to pick it up. “If you’re finished,” he began, “please set the table. Dinner should be ready to come off the stove.”

“Oh, thank the Six,” Noctis groaned. “It’s been smelling so good in here for hours,” he turned to Prompto. “No snacks, you’ll ruin your appetite, Highness,” the Prince mocked in an imitation of Ignis’ voice. 

Ignis raised a brow, and lightly swatted Noctis on the back of his head. “Don’t get smart with me,” the man warned before retreating to the kitchen. 

“What’s on the menu?” Prompto asked, trying to seem casual. Like he _hadn’t_ told Ignis to keep trying to end his life so that he could feel like things were _normal_ again. 

“Specs decided to test a new recipe,” Gladio answered, causing Prompto to perk up. The brunette smirked. “Green curry soup with daggerquill.” 

Prompto grinned. “My favorite.”

Noctis didn’t seem to share his enthusiasm. “Yeah. We _know_.” The Prince gave a huff. “He’s been cooking your favorites every day for the past week.” 

“What?” That didn’t make sense. Prompto hasn’t been over for dinner since last week, so why would Ignis cook meals he enjoyed when he wasn’t even around? Was there even a point? Noctis’ grumbling should have alerted him to something, but he chose to ignore the voice in the back of his mind telling him exactly what it meant. 

His best friend scowled, “whatever, man. Come on. I think he made leaves for a side,” he gagged dramatically. “I’m gonna eat the croutons, but that’s it.” 

When they all finally settled for dinner, Prompto realized that Ignis _had_ prepared a salad as a side. He grinned to himself and served himself a heaping. There were sliced Lucian tomatoes, wild onions, and sweet peppers. The lettuce was crunchy, and the vinaigrette was incredible. Ignis always made the best food, even if it were something as simple as salad and it’s dressing.

Which was only partially the reason why he was inhaling his food. It was good, yes, but also because an awkward silence had fallen over the group and it made Prompto nervous. If he kept his mouth full, then no one expected him to talk, right? Noctis was grumbling something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like ‘herbivores’ and how just because Prompto was the energizer bunny didn’t mean they were all rabbits. He ignored it, but Gladio seemed amused.

He took another forkful, chewing quickly before swallowing. Or, well, trying to swallow. He coughed a few times, choking on a large piece of something that got caught as he tried to inhale. Noctis shot up and whacked him on the back. 

“Poor dear. Choking is such a terrible thing. Hitting him in the neck isn’t going to help him, Highness.” 

Prompto closed his eyes, still coughing. He tried to get his breathing back under control, forcing himself to take a deep breath and then let it out slowly. Once he gathered his bearings, he looked right at Ignis. “Don’t worry, Iggy. Wasn’t anything but a _hiccup_.” He grinned with all his teeth. He knew Ignis, and there was no way that he didn’t know the Heimlich maneuver. 

Ignis’ lips twitched, and just as Prompto was about to say something else, Noctis cut him off. 

“Really?” He asked, face screwed up in what Prompto realized was disgust. “You’re gonna do this here? In front of my salad?”

Gladio’s eyes went wide as he stared at Noctis, and Prompto understood Gladio’s concern. However, it was misplaced. Ignis wouldn’t hurt a hair on Noctis’ head. Neither would Prompto, who immediately began choking once more. Ignis simply hummed.

“I hate you both,” Noctis grumbled, flopping back against his chair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompto is a Disaster alright you can't change my mind. His plans were thrown completely out of whack and now he has no idea what he's doing rip Prompto
> 
> He just...wants things to be normal again! Ignis being _nice_ to him was weird!!
> 
> Noct is just getting Tired(TM) xD
> 
> I'm a sucker for pet names, guys, and I'm a sucker for _Ignis_ calling the any of guys (especially Prompto who wouldn't be used to it _at all_ ) cute lil pet names
> 
> Also! Surprise POV next week y'all! Wonder who it might be OwO


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Gladio has always been aware of how the world works._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Finals week kicked my ass, but I'm still standing! Today, I present to you our special: POV à la Gladio! 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

Gladio has always been aware of how the world works. 

He has always known that there was this nested hierarchy in his life. Noctis, as the Prince, was always at the top. Following that was Ignis. Then it was him. That was okay. He was the Shield; he didn’t have the political knowledge or the couth that Ignis did. He was right underneath the other, and he was fine with that. Ignis advised Noctis, and Gladio trained to protect him. Once Gladio was old enough, his father pulled him aside to tell him a secret.

It was then that he learned that Ignis ranked far higher than he originally thought. Gladio learned, quickly, not to challenge the man, or he’d end up with a dagger to the throat. They may have both been twelve, and Ignis may have been half his size, but the sharp kiss of steel against the soft skin of his vulnerable throat was enough for him to avert his gaze and offer submission. 

He and Iggy got along quite well after that. 

Gladio knew that when Ignis made a Decision, that was it. He didn’t (wouldn’t) go against the man. Clarus had two children, after all, and Iris could easily be trained to be Noctis’ new Shield should an _unfortunate accident_ occur. 

Ignis, he learned, trained under Cor. It made sense.

(“Dad,” Gladio asked one day, staring at the side of the gym where Ignis perfected his twirling back flip and graceful flick of his knives, Cor watching from the sideline and offering corrections. “Why are you higher on the food chain than Cor?” Gladio made sure to keep his voice low. There was no need for the man to overhear his question, after all. 

“When we met, Cor was a fifteen year old brat who was still wet behind the ears. I established my dominance early.”

“Oh.”

Gladio looked down, furrowing his brows. He didn’t even have a _chance_. Ignis met the Prince when Noctis was _four_.)

He was fine with this, though. Ignis knew a lot of things that would be helpful to Noctis. Gladio had a _healthy_ amount of respect for the other. He really didn’t want to end up skewered. They worked well. It might just be Noctis, Ignis, and himself, but they worked like a well oiled machine, and they all had an understanding. Even if Noctis didn’t seem to be aware of anything odd.

Then, the Prince came stumbling out of the school’s entrance, clinging to a skittish looking blonde’s arm and Gladio knew that it was going to become an issue. 

Ignis was protective. He did his job incredibly well, and Noctis had only ever feared for his life once. He was possessive of those he deemed his own, and Noctis fell under that category. Ignis didn’t trust easily, either; so when Gladio casually questioned Noctis about his new friend, and Noctis’ eyes lit up in delight, the Shield sighed. 

Noctis had made a new friend, and there was going to be no changing that.

Gladio didn’t mind the kid. He made Noctis happy, and that made Gladio happy. The blonde was bubbly and open. He was excitable and snarky, and Gladio had a feeling that if Ignis gave the kid a chance, they would get along like a house on fire. 

What he _didn’t_ expect was for Prompto to one day duck out of his reach and put _him_ in a headlock - all in one fluid motion - before stuttering out apologies about how he _didn’t even think, just reacted, honestly! I'm so sorry, man!_ It stunned the Shield, and he had just stared dumbly for a few moments. 

He honestly didn’t understand how Prompto was able to do such a thing. He _shouldn’t_ have been able to. Gladio was a trained _Shield_. Prompto was a noodle-armed _civilian_. There’s no way that he should be able to put Gladio in a headlock - and manage to keep him there!

(He let out a huff, “damn, blondie. What’s your workout regimen?”

Prompto rocked on the balls of his feet. “I, uh, run a lot. Work out with my friend.” 

Gladio raised his eyebrows. It still didn’t make sense. It wouldn’t make sense until he realized that the friend that Prompto was talking about was _Nyx Ulric_ , rising star of the Kingsglaive.)

* * *

The first time Prompto had been poisoned, Gladio had been unaware of what the guy did for a living, and because of this, he had been _livid_ with Ignis. He didn’t _say_ anything, but his glares and huffs and silent disappointment was enough to catch the advisors attention. Ignis had given a tut in response, but no explanation.

(“He’s a _kid_ Iggy. Noct’s best friend.” He argued.

Ignis looked at him, cold and calculating. “I do not believe I asked for your input, Gladiolus.”)

When Noctis had texted him a picture of him and Prompto, faces squished together for a selfie two days after the Incident, he blinked, baffled. Prompto was _alive._

Well, perhaps he was not so baffled. He had called Nyx, like Prompto requested. At first, he had simply thought it was delirium getting to Prompto, but he called to make sure. He was glad that he did. Nyx had sounded so _scared_ when Gladio told him that Prompto was sick, and that they were taking him back to the apartment. Nyx had hung up, just saying that he’d be there. There was a report about a missing potion the next day, but Gladio didn’t say anything.

The second time Prompto almost died in the apartment, he simply shook his head, and glared once more. At least this time, the guy just needed his epipen and a quick check up at the ER.

Each time Prompto almost lost his life to Ignis, Gladio grew more and more exasperated. When Ignis had tripped Prompto, causing the blonde to fall into the street and almost be hit by a car, he finally understood why Ignis was so dead set on offing him. 

Prompto _knew_ about Ignis. He knew about Ignis, and yet did nothing but try to stay alive. Ignis was just trying to get rid of a threat. It made so much more sense. 

Although...

Something was telling Gladio that there was more to this. It felt...teasing. Like a game. The only thing Prompto seemed genuinely upset over was the fact that his jeans were ripped! Not to mention that if Ignis _truly_ wanted someone dead, they would be dead. He wouldn’t half-ass a job and allow his target to live.

No. This was...this was a dance. A constant forward and back of two opposing forces that could never destroy the other. 

Gladio wanted to groan. Why was this his life? He _knows_ that he didn’t sign up to be the side character in a some really, _really_ weird romance novel.

* * *

When Gladio finally noticed Prompto’s sharp eyes looking at him - _assessing him_ \- he felt a shiver down his back. That gaze reminded him of someone else's he knew. That gaze reminded him of Ignis. Sure the kid might know about Ignis, but there was not a chance in hell that Prompto was... _like him_ , right? 

It’s impossible! Prompto was, once again, a civilian born and raised. Six, he’s almost positive the kid wasn’t even born in Lucis! Their gazes locked, and Prompto didn’t look away. He simply quirked an eyebrow. 

The action sent a trickle of ice water down his spine. The same instinct that made him avert his gaze and submit to Ignis? Well, it screamed at him to do the same with Prompto. 

Gladio was knocked down another level on the food chain.

He wasn’t...too happy about it, honestly, but there wasn’t much he could do. Prompto was dangerous. How much, he didn’t know, but it was obvious. Even if his actions and words and friendship weren't there for pretend, Gladio knew he had to tread carefully. Perhaps not as carefully as with Ignis, but carefully nonetheless. 

Prompto protected Noctis with the same ferocity that Ignis did. He made sure to put Noctis on the inside of the sidewalk. Gladio noticed how Prompto would always take the seat that faced the door when they ate out, which usually left him sitting next to Ignis. He was a little upset that he was knocked out of his usual seat preference. He also noticed Prompto scanning crowds and assessing threats, and coming up with contingency plan after contingency plan. 

Gladio found that he couldn’t not like Prompto. 

So, the whole _thing_ that was going on between Ignis and Prompto? He wasn’t going to stick his nose into it. It seemed to work well enough for them, and Gladio knew better than to meddle with Ignis’ personal affairs. The recovery time wouldn’t be worth it.

* * *

The only consolation Gladio got was that when Prompto smiled at him - genuinely smiled, not the way he would bare his teeth at strangers in greeting, or the tight lipped grins he forced on his face to be polite - it felt like the entire world had been lit up.

Prompto had suddenly become their sun, and everyone had become lost in his orbit.

* * *

“Gladio, you gotta help me.” 

The Shield looked up. Noctis was skulking towards where he was sitting on the couch. He opened his arms, placing his book to the side and frowning. “What’s up, Princess? You’re poutier than usual.”

Noctis had flopped into his lap, not even complaining when Gladio manhandled him into a comfortable position. He just groaned. “I’m not sure how much more of this pining I can take.”

Gladio laughed, “what?”

His boyfriend peered up at him. “You know? Specs and Prom? Prom and Specs? It’s ridiculous. They really just gotta kiss at this point or something.”

Gladio felt his blood run cold. “No. Nope. Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. Leave them both alone - you know how Iggy likes his privacy. Chocobo doesn’t seem like the type who would appreciate the prying, either.”

“Oh, come _on,_ Gladio! Those two are clearly into each other!” 

The Shield thought back to how Ignis had pinned Prompto against the fridge the other night, a knife pressed under his chin and another one caressing the blonde’s freckled cheek in a dark imitation of a lover’s hold. He shook his head. Gladio planned on living a long life. He wanted to be around to watch his Prince become his King. He wanted to taste-test Ignis' newest creations. He wanted to see more of Prompto’s smiles. “No,” he repeated firmly. 

Noctis fell silent, and Gladio almost let out a sigh of relief. Thank the Six that his boyfriend was going to drop this - Gladio wasn’t sure just how deep Prompto and Ignis’ devotion ran, because while killing Noctis was a no-go, they could certainly maim him, and then patch him up. Ignis was good at that.

“We could lock them in a closet?” Noctis suggested. 

Gladio gave the teen a pointed look. “Really. _Really, Noct?_ You know Iggy could pick a lock in two minutes.”

“Oh, you’re right. " He frowned. "Prompto’s really good at that, too. He can do it in less than one.” Noct paused, thinking. Then, “we could -”

“No ‘ _we_ ’ about this, Princess. They won’t kill you, but I’m fair game.”

Noctis puffed out his cheeks. “They wouldn’t kill you,” he argued. “It would make me sad and they don’t want to make me sad.”

“What?”

“What?”

“What do you mean by that?” Gladio asked, eyes narrwoing.

Noctis furrowed his brows, tilting his head to the side. “Oh. Oh, you never noticed? They do a lot to try and keep me happy. I appreciate it a lot, but...I might have...learned how to work the system? I guess you could say?”

“ _Noct_.”

“Don’t worry! It’s fine! Pretty sure they’ve realized it, too!” None of what Noctis was saying made Gladio feel _not worried_. 

He stared at Noctis. “You are...you are aware that they’re both assassins, right? Like, legit hitmen that kill others for money or whatever.”

“Yep,” Noctis popped the _p_. “Dad told me about Iggy when I was like, I don’t know. Seven? Eight? Whenever I caught Iggy training with Cor. Took awhile for me to realize Prom’s the same way. Dunno who his teacher was, but he certainly gives Iggy a run for his money.” Another pause. Then Noctis swatted at Gladio’s chest, causing him to huff and bat his hands away. “Which! Is why! They’re perfect for each other!”

Gladio blinked slowly. “You aren’t...you’re not worried they’re gonna kill each other?!” 

Noctis rolled his eyes dramatically, “oh, please,” he started, “it’s flirting and you _know_ it is. Aren’t you the one who reads all those shitty romance novels?” 

“Babe. I really, _really_ hate to break it to you, but it doesn’t work that way.”

“What do you mean? Of course it does!”

Gladio shook his head, “how are you not freaking out over this?”

He received a shrug in response. “I did, for a bit. Kept going back and forth between ‘wow, Prom and Iggy _really_ like Assassin’s Creed’ and ‘my best friends are trying to kill each other’ and then ‘my best friends are trying to kill each other, but I think it’s really just their weird way of flirting.’ Drove me up the walls for a few days. Anyway, you in or not?”

Gladio shook his head. “Noct, I love you, but you’re out of your mind.”

The Prince glared at him (compared to Ignis’, or even Prompto’s, it was as weak as a kitten’s), “fine. Be that way. I’ll do it myself.”

Gladio had to wonder if they were all going to come out of this alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Noctis Lucis Caelum: Wingman Extraordinaire lmao
> 
> This was my first time writing Gladio's POV so I hoped you guy's liked it!
> 
> Next week, I'm _probably_ going to post two chapters at the same time. The first one will be purely Promnis based in it's ending, and it will be the longer chapter, but then immediately after, I will post a continuation/epilogue that has ot4 get together because I'm a complete sucker and have sorta been hinting at it throughout the fic lol
> 
> Once again, thank you to all who have kudos, commented, bookmarked, read, and subscribed to this story! Y'all have my heart <3!
> 
> For those of you who want to know the food chain:  
> Noctis  
> Ignis/Prompto  
> Iris (she is a bad bitch you can't tell me otherwise)  
> Gladio, maybe


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Darling, I would be as happy as a_ clam _if you were to be mine.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! This is it! We've reached the end! 
> 
> Thank you to all who stuck by this story since the beginning! I appreciate you more than words can describe! I had so much fun writing Petty!Prompto and I'm so glad that you guys enjoyed it, too! This chapter is officially the end for Promnis. 
> 
> However! There will be a bonus chapter 9 that adds an OT4 ending directly after if that's something you'd like to check out! I'm a huge sucker for the bros all being together, and I guess I couldn't resist lmao

Prompto thought Noctis was acting weird. Well, weirder than usual. They guy kept looking at his phone, and then up at the door to the apartment. No one else was there, so Prompto just assumed he was waiting for Gladio to show up for game night. 

“Hey, man, you good?” He asked, wanting to make sure. 

Noctis looked at him with wide eyes. It was the same look he got when Ignis caught him sneaking a snack before dinner. “Fine!” He practically shouted, voice high pitched and squeaky. Prompto opened his mouth to talk, but Noctis cut him off. “You’re my best friend, right? You love me and don’t wanna make me sad. Right?”

Prompto tensed, suddenly feeling trapped, “Noct...” he started.

“Just! Answer! Right? You wouldn’t hurt me, or Gladio, or even Iggy because you know that’ll make me upset and you kill people that try to kill me and you’re friends with Nyx, but he acts like your dad sometimes and -”

“Dude. Breathe!” Noctis snapped his mouth shut and took in a deep breath. Prompto stared at his friend. “Did Iggy tell you?”

“Did Iggy tell me what?”

“That...that I, y’know,” he dragged his pointer finger across his neck. 

“Oh! Oh, nah, kinda figured it out on my own. I, uh. Astrals, this is gonna sound dumb. I thought you were way too good at those shooting games at the arcade, and that you went to practice when we weren’t hanging out so I sort of...tailed you and watched?” 

Prompto’s mouth fell open. He didn’t know what to say to that. 

“Anyway! After that I realized that you and Iggy are always talking and you’re a shit and get under Iggy’s skin, which is _great_ , by the way, and I saw the hi-potion in your bag and noticed Phoenix Down in what’s probably the secret pocket.” Noctis paused, gnawing at his lower lip. “I just...I really think you and Specs need to stop dancing around each other. It’s killing me, Prom. Like. I die a little more each time I see you two flirting.”

Prompto snapped, “Ignis and I don’t _flirt_ , man! I don’t know why you would think that!”

“Prom. _Prompto_. He calls you ‘darling’ and ‘dear’ and ‘pet’ and it makes me gag every time.” Noctis fixed him with a pointed look. “Do yourself a favor and just, I don’t know, kiss already.?”

“This is dumb. You’re being dumb. Iggy doesn’t - he isn’t - no. Nope.” The blonde argued. He leaned forward, putting his head in his hands. 

The door to the apartment opened. “Specs!” Noctis chirped happily from where he was sitting next to Prompto. The marksman noticed that the Prince waited until Ignis closed the apartment door and walked in to continue. “So, I kinda-sorta-maybe planned a last minute date with Gladio, but! You two can keep each other company, right?” Prompto picked his head up to glare at his best friend. Traitor. Noctis was a _traitor_.

Ignis frowned, but nodded slowly, “of course. That shouldn’t be an issue... Prompto, love, is that alright with you?”

Prompto refused to acknowledge the smug expression Noctis was wearing. “Yeah,” he told the other man weakly. “Fine with me.”

“Marvelous. I’ll get started on dinner.” 

He walked into the kitchen, and once he was out of view, Noctis jumped up. He grinned widely at Prompto, who scowled in response. “Have fun on your _date_ , Prom.” The Prince patted his cheek. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

“That doesn’t leave many options, does it?” Prompto shouted after his friend. 

Just before the door closed, Prompto heard Noctis shout, “rude!”

* * *

“Noct thinks this is a date.”

It bothered Prompto that Ignis didn’t even miss a beat. “Does he?”

“Yeah.” He huffed, then squinted at the other. “Is it?”

Ignis offered Prompto a curious look, the corners of his lips curling upwards into what Prompto could only describe as a soft smile. “Would you like it to be?”

He scowled, looking down at his plate, the single, lit candle between him and Ignis, and listened to the soft music playing in the background. He shoved another piece of food into his mouth - it was pasta in clam sauce. Prompto muttered, “and if I did?” He didn’t know if this was Ignis playing with him. He almost wished that the man had just stuck to poison, or even the physical attacks. He didn’t want his _feelings_ toyed with. 

“Darling, I would be as happy as a _clam_ if you were to be mine.”

Prompto dropped his fork, and it hit his plate with a loud clatter. He had been expecting Ignis to laugh at him, or even to carefully direct the conversation in a different direction. Prompto swallowed, “what?” He slowly looked back up. Slowly, because he was _terrified_ of what he might find. “You’re joking, right?”

Ignis stiffened. “No,” he said, his voice suddenly clipped and defensive. “I am not.”

“Oh,” Prompto said, softer this time. “I...” He tried to start again, but quickly fell quiet once more. His face twisted, and he suddenly felt sick. 

He didn’t think that Ignis did anything to his food that night. 

“Why?” He asked, confused and dizzy. “Why me?” He demanded after Ignis stayed silent.

Ignis pursed his lips. “If you must know,” he began softly. Quietly. Reserved and controlled. His words felt like the tip of his enchanted ice dagger. Ignis had retreated back into himself, and as much as Prompto _hated_ it, he had no right to say anything about it. “You bring a breath of fresh air into my life. All our lives, really.” He paused, licking at his lips. “You have brought Noctis out of his shell, you get along swimmingly with Gladio, and...” he took a deep breath. “You understand.” 

“Understand?” Prompto questioned, voice pitching just a little higher. 

“That, sometimes, certain things need to be done. You understand how important it is that Noctis is kept safe, and that his happiness is paramount. You understand that not everything in the world is all butterflies and rainbows. You know that there are things - people, really, that go bump in the night. There’s bad things, but...you...you’re so _good_ , Prompto.”

“Iggy, you tried to kill me the first time I came over to Noct’s for dinner.”

“Look.” Ignis put down his utensils, and looked at Prompto. “I apologize if I misread the situation, and if I have made you uncomfortable. It is a mistake that will not happen again.” The man picked up the napkin on his lap and dabbed at the side of his mouth. 

Prompto looked at the man, eyes widening. “N-no! That’s not... shit, no, that’s not what I meant, Iggy -” Prompto groaned, pulling at his hair. “I’m just. Confused. You’re...” he waved up and down, gesturing to Ignis. “Really hot. Like, if you weren’t such an asshole in the beginning, I probably wouldn’t have been able to say, like, a sentence without fucking up.” Ignis went to say something, but Prompto wasn’t done. Instead, he just steamrolled over whatever it was that the man was prepared to say. 

“Like, _fuck,_ man. You’re just so... _pretty_ that it physically hurts to look at you sometimes. It’s so totally not fair in the slightest. You’re witty and smart and bitchy in all the best ways possible. Also, I’m pretty sure I died and went to heaven when you cornered me while keeping one of your knives on my throat because _fuck_ that’s really hot.”

Ignis blinked a few times. “Is...is this what Noctis meant when he told me that you would have a ‘gay panic’?”

“What?” 

Ignis sighed, “Prompto, dear, would do me a favor, please?”

“Um...I guess?”

“Answer a few questions for me, darling. That’s all,” Ignis gave him a reassuring smile, and in response, Prompto gave a small nod. “Are you afraid of me, Prompto?”

Prompto looked at the other strangely. “No? I mean, you’re like, really deadly, but, like, nah, I ain’t afraid of you,” he hummed. “Honestly? I think I could take you in a fair fight.” 

Ignis nodded, eyes gleaming, but seemed pleased with this answer. “Wonderful. Do you enjoy being around me?”

That caused Prompto to furrow his brows. Ignis was looking at him patiently, as if he knew that it would take a few moments for the blonde to formulate a response. “I...” Prompto began. “I mean, yeah? It’s weird when you’re not around, but usually it’s because I’m constantly checking over my shoulder.” Ignis hummed noncommittally, not saying anything as he waited for Prompto to continue. 

Prompto frowned. “When it’s just me and Noct, or just me and Gladio, or even when Noct and Gladio are with me together, it’s...weird. At least around you, I can have a conversation without being worried about being called out, or teased all the time. I love them both a bunch, they're my best friends, but...I don’t...have to hide with you.” Oh. Oh, Prompto was beginning to get it. “...because you understand.”

“Because I understand,” Ignis parroted with a solemn nod. “Now,” he sighed, “are you attracted to me, Prompto?”

The blonde didn’t even need to think about it, “dude, I literally just told you how hot I think you. Are you that much of a narcissist that you gotta hear it again?” He snarked. Ignis laughed. It was bright and filled with amusement and made him feel _warm_. “I probably like your knives way more than I should.”

Ignis quirked an amused brow, “just my knives?”

“Wow, you’re really digging here now, aren’t ya? Not just your knives, you prick. You’re stupid accent, and your pretty green eyes, and the way you just seem to have an answer to things. Your fucking _legs_ , man. You’ve got legs for _days_ and if it’s not poison or some weirdly elaborate set up to kill me, it’s your legs that kill me a little more every day.” He huffed loudly, and when Ignis let out a chuff of laughter, he glared. “What?”

“Of all the things you could have said,” Ignis shook his head fondly. “Prompto, love, a final question.” Ignis sat up a bit straighter, and looked right at Prompto, and the blonde felt his breath catch in his throat as he was given the man’s full attention. “Would you do me the honor of calling me yours?”

Prompto blinked a few times. “I -” Another few blinks. “ _You_ want to be _mine?_ ” 

“Is that so difficult to believe?”

“A lil’, yeah. Would have thought it was the other way around.”

Ignis smiled, and it was sharp and predatory, “that could be arranged.”

Prompto blushed darkly. “You know what? Yeah, alright. I’m down.” 

He must have done something right. Especially since the way Ignis looked at him - like _he_ had hung the sun in the sky - made him giggle at the warmth in his chest.

* * *

Ignis kissed him when he was washing dishes, and Prompto couldn’t think of a more perfect moment. 

It was chaste, but Prompto was okay with that. It was filled with promises and silent affirmations. It was soft and sweet, and while it didn’t feel like he was being devoured, Prompto found that it made that warmth in his chest bubble up and work its way to stretch a grin on his face. This was good. This felt natural. Why hadn’t they been kissing before? 

It felt _right._

* * *

Nyx was _so_ going to kill him.

* * *

“Join the Crownsguard,” Ignis murmured to him. “I will see to your training personally.”

“Kinda rude to imply I need some training, Iggy. I’ve survived this long, right?”

Ignis hummed, “Prompto, while I know that you are skilled, imagine what you _could_ achieve under proper tutelage.”

He laughed, “oh, man. Don’t let Nyx hear you say that!” Prompto pressed a kiss to the underside of his new partner’s jaw. “He’d be so miffed if he heard you say his mentoring was shit.”

Ignis stiffened the slightest bit before relaxing. “I see. Is that why you and Glaive Ulric are as close as you are?”

Prompto winced, and brought up his hand to rock back and forth. “Yeah? Sorta? At least in the beginning. He’s the closest I’ve got to family nowadays. Besides you guys, I guess.” 

The man let out a hum, “I should have to thank him.” Prompto snorted. “What? While you could excel under some more guidance, he has done a fine job of your training thus far.”

“He’s...not your biggest fan...”

Ignis smirked, “oh, I’ve no doubt. Does he like cheese?” 

“He’s not gonna eat anything you send him, given your track record, Iggy.”

“Perhaps I’ll bake him some treats...” Ignis ignored him, causing Prompto to roll his eyes. “Ah, apologies, I became sidetracked. Please do consider joining, though, my dear. It will allow you to legally continue your work, once I vouch for you. Especially if you wish to protect His Highness.” 

Prompto looked at the other, squinting. “You...you want me to become one of Noct’s retainers?”

Ignis merely raised a brow, “don’t you?”

He stuck out his tongue in response. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Call me out, I get it. I’ll bite, though. Consider me recruited,” he huffed in response, amusement in his tone. “He could use a ranger in his party. Won’t find a better shot than me.”

His partner practically purred, “splendid.” His arms curled around Prompto, as if he were securing him and keep him from running. Prompto melted into the hold. “I’m sure he and Gladiolus will be thrilled to hear of this decision. I, for one, am delighted.”

“Does that mean you’re gonna stop trying to kill me?”

Ignis only smirked in response, “will you have another meltdown if I stop?”

He pouted, “not my best look, I get it, whatevs. Well, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t, y’know, try to murk me anymore. Don’t wanna have to worry about if my boyfriend is a black widow.”

“Darling, I do believe that would require us to be wed.” Ignis teased with a laugh while looking at him fondly. Prompto’s face turned red, but he couldn’t deny how right this all felt. 

It was a weird journey to get here, but...as Ignis looked at him with pure adoration in his green eyes, Prompto couldn't do anything but offer up a goofy smile in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU!! Thank you to everyone who read this fic, left comments, kudos, bookmarked, and subscribed!! I hope everyone enjoyed it! Stick around for the bonus chapter 9 if that's your jam since it'll be up shortly!


	9. Bonus: haha jk...unless?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonus short and sweet OT4 get-together content!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! I promised y'all a bonus chapter for ot4 get-together and here it is! It's really not all that special, though, but I figured I'd tack it on as a bonus since the fic was Promnis-centric. 
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy!

Prompto could honestly say that he forgot that this wasn’t his house. He definitely forgot that they weren’t in an entirely private place. 

So, when the door flung open, and the boisterous laughter of Noctis and Gladio filtered in, Prompto startled. He had been pressed snugly against Ignis’ side (he was warm, and Prompto would often feel cold), lazily kissing the advisor. However, the moment the door was slammed open, he jumped to a sitting position, wiping at his mouth.

He looked at Noctis with wide eyes, and the other teen looked back, his expression mirrored. Ignis let out a slight cough, shifting forward to wrap his arm around Prompto’s waist and draw him back to his side. Noctis turned to Gladio, and whacked him in the chest. 

“See!” The Prince snapped. “Flirting! I _told_ you, Gladio!”

Behind him, Ignis let out another cough. “Yes, well,” he began, “I’m glad someone noticed.”

Prompto turned his head to the side, “hey! What’s that supposed to mean?”

“For someone as observant as you gotta be, blondie, you really missed the _target_ here, huh?” Gladio chuckled. Prompto narrowed his eyes at the other. He can’t believe Gladio just made a pun about his and Ignis’ jobs.

“That was a shitty pun, and you know it, Gladiolus,” Prompto hissed at the Shield, who simply held his hands up in the air, palms facing Prompto as he chuckled.

Ignis tutted. “Now, now,” the advisor began, “no need to glare daggers at Gladio, darling.” Prompto turned to glare at Ignis instead. “Well, that’s not very nice, either, now is it?” The glare turned into a pout, and Ignis quickly turned smug. “That’s much better.”

“Ugh,” Noctis groaned, face scrunched up in disgust, “Gladio, they’re _already_ being gross!”

Gladio laughed, “oh, they’ve been gross for a while, Princess. You just haven’t noticed.”

“You saying you have?” Noctis turned to look at his own boyfriend. Gladio simply gave a smirk in response.

“Don’t worry, buddy!” Prompto chirped, “if you wanted a smooch, too, all you gotta do is ask!” It was meant as a joke. It was _totally_ meant as a joke. Gladio was dating Noctis, and he was...dating Ignis now, right? and it _was meant to be a joke_. The noise of interest from behind him, the nervous chuckle from Gladio, and the bright red face of Noctis told him that maybe his joke wasn’t appreciated. He swallowed. “Kidding!” He told them in a high pitched voice. Just in case his intention hadn’t been clear. 

“Right,” Noctis squeaked. “Haha.”

Prompto had just officially gotten together with Ignis that night. He wasn’t about to open the can of worms that is his devotion to Noctis and his _completely platonic_ physical attraction to Gladio. Not that night. Nope. 

Noctis peeked over at Prompto. “Haha,” the Prince started again. “Just kidding,” another pause. “...unless?”

“ _Astrals_ , Noct.” Prompto grumbled, flopping against Ignis. “Let me have one thing at a time.”

“I’m not hearing a no. Are you guys hearing a no? Gladio? Specs?”

Gladio simply pulled the Prince against his chest, laughing as he hid his face in the teen’s unruly dark hair. Prompto knew Ignis was smirking behind him, and was not upset by the notion at all. If anything, the man seemed to radiate contentment. 

When Gladio walked over to the couch, settling the two of them down, Noctis hesitantly reached for Prompto’s hand. Long fingers tentatively curled over his own. Prompto opened his palm and tangled their digits together, sighing softly as he relaxed against Ignis. Gladio’s arm was draped over the back of the couch, loosely dropped over Ignis’ shoulders.

Yeah, Prompto thought. This was good.

* * *

It was a few weeks later that he finally told Nyx. He had waited, simply because he wasn’t sure if it was going to last. That, and that he was worried. Ignis didn’t rank very high on the list of people Nyx liked and trusted. While that ranking was fair, it still had Prompto concerned. He couldn’t hide it anymore. He didn’t _want_ to hide it. 

“I’m dating Iggy,” Prompto stated as he plopped onto the couch next to Nyx. 

The Glaive sputtered, spewing his chicken and rice all over his front before he managed to grab a napkin and clean himself up. He glared at Prompto. “What?” He asked. “Prom, what the fuck?”

Prompto shrugged. “I’m dating Iggy.”

“He tried to _kill_ you.”

“Yeah, but, like, you know how boys like to pull on girl’s pigtails?”

“This isn’t that, Prom, I really don’t -”

“Well!” Prompto spoke over him, not letting him get a word in. “Turns out, Iggy and I were just pulling on each other’s pigtails.”

“...is that a euphemism?” Nyx dared to ask him, which caused Prompto to squawk and deny such things. After a few moments, Nyx sighed. “Fine, fine. That’s fine. Just...make sure you keep yourself safe, alright? I still don’t trust him.”

Prompto waved him off. “He’s not gonna hurt what’s his. He’s sort of like a dragon in that way, I guess.” The blonde watched Nyx reach for his glass of water, and he casually made to stand and walk a few paces away. “Besides,” he began, stretching his arms over his head. “I don’t think Noct and Gladio would be happy if one of their boyfriends murdered the other.”

His mentor’s reaction was _priceless._ Nyx spat out his water, coughing since he swallowed wrong. The older man pounded on his chest in order to get himself under control, but the look of incredulity in his eyes made Prompto burst into laughter. Cackles, really. “You’re - you should see your face!” Nyx glared, which only caused Prompto to fall into another fit of laughter. “Oh, man. That was incredible!”

And he caught it all on camera.

(Later, Nyx would glare at him and let out a weak wheeze. “I fucking knew it,” he’d say. “Lib owes me twenty gil.”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnndd _that's_ how Prompto ended up with three boyfriends! (The food chain remains unchanged. Mostly, at least. Gladio is considered untouchable to _anyone_ besides Ignis, Prompto, and Noctis now) 
> 
> Once again, a big heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who subscribed and bookmarked, and those of you who left kudos or a comment! I appreciate you all to the moon and back! Until next time! <3


End file.
